


RED RIDING HOOD: WITCHES AND WOLVES

by BlackbatRevolution



Series: The Complete Cranscott AU Saga [13]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-01-13 11:49:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 41,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21243602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackbatRevolution/pseuds/BlackbatRevolution
Summary: A unique //mature// retelling of Red Riding Hood with my favorite rangers.





	1. Once upon a time...

Once upon a time there was a world much like our own, but instead of being powered by technological innovations, it was a world of magic and wonder. And pardon me if you’ve heard a story like this before but it is a tale as old as the concept of time itself. A struggle for power over resources between people of different fractions sent this world into chaos and turmoil, and in the battle for power, an evil Witch conquered the world, reigning for a thousand years. She was called the Gold witch, for her love of hoarding gold, she rose to power among the ranks of The Witch faction to take over the world, and for her betrayal, witches of all kind, good or otherwise were hunted and persecuted as revenge by The Beast revolutionaries.

And with of her power of compulsion, she controlled an army of dragonborns against their will and used them to burn cities to the ground and massacre entire populations, so they too were feared and hated but simultaneously pitied. Some still deny that dragons were controlled at all, and instead choose to blame them for all what The Gold Witch had done with their power.

The legend says a team of heroes from every faction in this world, (a harpy from the _skies_, a mermaid from the_ seas,_ a wolf from the _forests_, a witch from the _cities_, a dragon from the _deserts_ and a yeti from the arctic) waged war against The Gold Witch for years, slaughtering her army and reclaiming the resources for the common people. Unable to vanquish her, the heroes all died in a quest to seal her away in a magical slumber for a thousand years. Peace reigned over this world for the next thousand years.

The age of prosperity drew to an end, as The Gold Witch is believed to be awaking from her magical slumber to regain her throne. The growing cases of gold sickness were a sign of it. As these rumors stir there is rising tensions between The Witch population and The Beasts of the other factions (who _believe _The Witches are hiding The Gold Witch within their midst, awaiting her rise to power once again). There is some evidence for this claim.

Because of this thousand-year feud, Witches and Wolves, the most powerful creatures on land (dragons are nearly extinct), live _contentiously _to say the least_. _To keep The Witch and The Wolf population from massacring each other, lands were fairly divided up by representative of each faction and a treaty was written to maintain peace. Every child and cub are taught a simplified version of the treaty as early as they can understand language and learn the other intricacies of the treaty over their entire schooling career.

_The Witches will remain in the areas designated for rural and urban witch existence, and The Wolves will remain in the areas designated untamed wilderness. If a wolf were to cross into Witch Territory, witches may deal with the trespasser using any and all witch means, including but not limited imprisonment and execution. The same law applies for witches invading Wolf Territory. A single representative, a sole Witch Elder and a sole Werewolf Elder are exempted from the tenets of this treaty and can roam freely and are to be recognized as intermediaries between their faction and the other, during instances of trading, allyship and disputes. Their property is land claimed by their birth fraction. If the Gold Witch were rise again, the treaty is immediately dissolved. _

** _*_ **

One such land where this treaty was in full affect was Angel Grove, a bustling provincial township owned by Witches, that was adjacent next to expanse of uncultivated land ruled by Wolves. Angel Grove or Stone Canyon or Amber Beach, such dual naming conventions are a staple of the divided communities.

It’s two hours short of midnight in the township and most all citizens are asleep, except a small family in a cottage just outside of the town’s square. There, a middle age Witch sews a large red-velvet hood with silver thread, in the presence of her witch son, who is examining a selection of gems. She is unnerved by what he is about to do. Her hands twitch and fidget constantly, to the point she accidentally pricks her fingers, again.

“Dammit,” She curses, under her breath. “If we didn’t need to keep this a secret, I’d have hired that fairy Aisha to do this.” Another drop of her blood lands onto the cloth, and blends into the sea of red.

“_Mom relax…_” Her son warns her, trying to lighten the mood. “You’re going to end up Swiss cheese before you’re done.”

“I won’t relax!” Witch Mother Candace says grimly. She stops briefly, to close the window behind her and starts to whisper, “Don’t tell a mother who has to send her only child into the mouth of _The Beast_ to relax, I am not being hysterical, I’m worrying the right amount._”_

“Mom, I’m an adult now,” Billy says, putting his research aside, so he could press his forehead to hers. Attempting to use his healing abilities to settle her nerves. “And I’m the only elder’s apprentice with enough knowledge of the forest to find grandma’s house and administer the serum.” He isn’t bragging, it’s the truth, his test results prove it.

“_I know_,” She grumbles, pulling him down to kiss his forehead. “Why does my mother-in-law have to be The Elder and why does my son have to be a genius…I’m tired of sacrificing for this damn town!”

Billy tries to maintain a positive attitude, to keep his mother from thinking about the worst possible outcome. “I’ll be fine…I’ll be home before you know it. _Each time_.”

She lowers her face into her hands. “That is exactly what your father said, before he went into that land of _BEASTS_, never to return,” She sniffles a few times, wiping away a few stray tears, before she goes back to work. There is no time to mourn, they had to rest before morning.

There it is. He was expecting her to mention his father, half Billy’s childhood was dominated by his mother’s worry that he wouldn’t make it home one day like his father. She is still grieving, and he is still being punished for it. “This was what I’m trained to do mom, I’ll have to take over for grandma someday, consider this another practical exercise,” He says, smiling down on her. Employing his usual optimism. “And if I get this medicine to grandma, the longer she’ll live and _the longer I won’t have to take over for her_.”

“I hope mother lives _forever,” _Candace says, finishing weaving the shimming silver thread into the hood. “Can’t fault a mother for wanting to keep her child out of harm’s way…”

“Mom I’ve been meaning to ask…_why did Grandma buy red velvet for the hood_?” Billy asks, having never worn this much red before.

“You can’t exactly wear our house colors while trespassing, can you?” She knotted off the final stitch. “You’ll be spotted from a mile away in our blues, but while wearing this you’ll blend right in, red is The Wolves colors…”

“_Ah_.” Billy makes a mental note of that information, color coding is essential to the faction system, and the blood lines within the factions. But he didn’t think it was that strictly adhered to the untamed, that wearing his usual blues would make him stand out so much.

“Done,” She says, holding up the hood on display. It was made of the finest pixie velvet, dyed red with the blood of wolves and was woven by silver thread spun by the infamous wizard Rumpelstiltskin himself and enchanted by fairies. “No one will notice you in the forest wearing this, it’ll hide your magical essence so a wolf can’t sniff you out.”

“Awesome,” Billy praises, taking the hood from his mother and trying it on. It fit perfectly, covering him well. It felt _amazing_ against his skin. “I can’t wait to test this out,” Billy twirls around in the hood.

“I’ll ignore your excitement at risking your life…”

“Didn’t you and your friends used steal hoods to sneak in and out of the forest to catch sprites and find rare herbs…_” _Billy says.

_“_Those were different times Billy, back then I did it so often….they called me _red riding hood_,” she informs. She can’t help smiling as he danced around in his hood, very reminiscent of herself, as teenager none the less. _Those were the centuries._ “The Wolves have gotten even more barbaric…and warlike since they got a new Alpha...executed every trespasser found recently. Shameful. We were forced to do the same to our trespassers or appear weak…”

“I heard that last Witch trespasser was looking for the coins buried in the forest…used to seal away The Witch..._a Gold Witch sympathizer_.” The person being reflected at Billy hardly feels like him, he appears so regal in red hood. “They had to kill them…”

Candace scoffs. “Werewolf lies, any Witch who goes into the forest is looking for herbs to deal with some illness, the outbreak of Gold poisoning could have been dealt with a lot faster if we had access to the flora of the forest, G_reat Wizard **Zordon**_ said so himself.”

“Maybe on my way, I can pick up a selection of healing flora and herbs-”

“No!” She shouts, shooting a glare at him.

“But mom they could help _a lot_ of our kind.”

“Or you could get caught and be killed…”

“But-

“What are the rules?” She asks, commanding him to answer.

Billy sighs; frustrated with her over-protectiveness. Despite his frustration he begins listing the rules. “Rule 1: Never take off the hood when inside the forest. Rule 2: Never use magic in the forest. Rule 3: Do not stop walking for any reason. Rule 4: Don’t talk to anyone. Rule 5: If I am cornered by a wolf, run, do not fight, they travel in packs. Rule 6: Do not take anything from the forest. Rule 7: Do not leave anything in the forest. Rule 8: Do not eat anything in the forest. Rule 9: Keep your identity a secret. Rule 10: Do not display_ weakness_.” He huffs slightly as he finishes listing.

“Break a single one of them, on any of your visits and _I will know_,” She states ominously, certain as if she was a prophecy witch, and not a run of the mill healer and charmer. But he suspected she wasn’t lying.

Billy pouts, hoping his face would get his mother to relent but she didn’t. “Don’t you even look at me with those big sleepy eyes,” she says, wagging her finger. “Now come over here and pray with your dear old mother…”

Billy laughs at his mother exaggerating her age, but he does take her hand, while she holds his hood in her other. They closed their eyes, trying to summon enough energy to further imbue the hood with good fortune. “Witches of silver, velvet and light…witches unite, protect my young, as he walks to the forest of _The beasts_….”

“Witches of silver, velvet and light…_witches unite_,” Billy recites, just after his mother.

She reopens her eyes. “Take off the hood and rest up, you have a big day tomorrow…” She takes the other daily dosages into account. “Several big days…”

She is forced to watch Billy just glow with pride. Her sweet little boy is a sweet grown man now. He was the heart and soul of their town, a friend to all. Where is that spell that allows you to relive time, she asked herself, can’t I trap him here, in this perfect moment.

“Sure you don’t want to wait until the half-dragon arrives?” She asks.

Billy groans, “Mom!”

“Fine…_tomorrow._”

Billy set his research aside, dressed in his azure gossamer night shirt, went to bed, dreaming of the ancient beautiful forest that he’d heard about in the folktales. His mother did not sleep for hours, instead she stayed awake and prayed spells of protection over for precious son. “Oh, goddess of love and life, do what you must, but please ensure my son is not harmed in the forest.”

** _*_ **

At the same time these provincial Witches were preparing for an unavoidable trespassing, a gathering of Wolves and other Beasts were in a local tavern “Ernie’s” celebrating a momentous occasion. The Alpha’s son had been accepted into the upper ranks of the Forest Rangers and will be undergoing his initiation the very next day. And as with any gathering of Beasts, there was too much drinking, feverish fucking and copious violence.

“Try on your iron amour!” Samuel Scott shouts at his son, summoning a crowd to surround him. The crowd of werewolves and beasts who’ve allied with werewolves chanted for Jason to try on his armor.

Jason, who is red faced from the wine and all the attention, stumbled up onto a wooden table in the middle of the packed tavern and began to don his Forest Ranger uniform. It is a shining iron armor that had been polished and engraved the insignia and symbols of the Wolves.

The crowd laughed as the drunk wolf struggled the latch on the chest plate. “I feel safer already!” His friend, Zack The half Orc shouts, “We’re in good hands.”

Jason gives in Zack the finger, and allows two she-wolves, with more adept fingers, to climb up and strap him in. When they were done, Jason lifts his magnificent claymore up in triumphant as if he had done it himself. And the crowd goes wild.

“Wolves of Iron, fur and might!” The Alpha exclaims.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” His Pack answers, howling up a storm and beating their fists on the tables. The Beasts love a celebration.

As Jason climbs down off the table, his father is there to pull him into a big hug. “God you remind me of myself when I was younger….and _fitter_,” He pats his beer gut and laughs hardily.

Jason smiles, and his large canines are on full display. “It’s like looking into the future.”

“No, you’ll be better than me,” His father says, patting his back. His face grows more serious. “You’ll need to be better than me. With the drought still in full force, the blight on our crops, you’ll need to do more, with a lot less.”

“I’m ready dad,” Jason asserts, sinking his claws into his father’s shoulder. Wolves, bite and claw for the same reason Witches kiss. It bonds you to your pack.

“You’ll be ready when you’re blooded,” His father reminds him, staring him dead in the eyes. “Until you’ve killed a witch, drink their blood and eaten their flesh…you’ll be weaker than the rest of us veterans.”

Jason swallows a gulp of air, hunting a common animal is easy, hunting a magic wielding Witch is life threatening. Wolves were bigger and stronger, but Witches are sinister and more powerful. “Easier said than done, you have the scars to prove it.”

Sam Scott touches the half of his face that had been burn by a Witch’s flame, he chuckles as if it’s nothing. “We didn’t have these back in the day,” He tapped his fingers against the iron chest plate. “Anti-magic Armor is a real privilege you kids take for granted, if we had found these mines back in my day…those conniving witches would be extinct like dragons.”

Jason is forced to chuckle, he didn’t hate dragons like his father did, Zack had spoken highly of the dragons he’d met in his travels and from what he read in the history books, they got the raw deal. Witches may have evil, but Jason considered dragons innocent victims. Even if they still associate with Witches from time to time. Incriminating themselves in the process.

“The pack is running tonight,” His father reminds him, pointing out at the full shimmering moon. “_At midnight._”

Jason inhales the crisp air, and is dying to rip off this skin, transform and race over the fields with his kin. Never was a wolf happier than when he was free to be a beast, and not confided to his half-life as a man-like hybrid. Sam Scott nudged his son out of his fantasy, “Now why don’t you blow off a little steam with those eager she-wolves before running with the rest of us.”

Regretfully, Jason followed his aim to the two she-wolves that helped him put on his armor. They were two beautiful women, nice enough. The blonde was Amanda the daughter of the smith, and her younger brunette friend was Rebecca. They smiled at him, beckoning him over, implying he could have them _both_ tonight. Any Wolf would have been lucky to have them. But Jason wasn’t any Wolf. He was cut from a different cloth.

“They can and will wait,” Jason tells his father, feigning bravado. “I owe Zack a thorough thrashing at darts. I must win back my earnings!”

“Good on you.” His father laughs; grabs a full flagon of ale from a busty barmaid, and venturing over to a group of older Wolves, who were discussing politics and battle strategy. Which often ends in a brawl of some sort.

When his father is gone, Jason releases a sigh of relief and shakes his head in the direction of the two she-wolves, refusing their gracious offer. The two She-wolves pouts in disappointment, and resume fending off the advances of much lesser wolves than the Alpha’s son. They had standards.

“You’re a waste of a good life,” Zack says, sneaking up on Jason. “Turning down two she-wolves such as those.”

Jason laughs, knowing his friend is being good-humored, “We can’t all have our pick of forest.”

The dashing half Orc shrugged. “Why keep one hand tied behind your back, your entire life…” It was a rhetorical question, that was more a statement of his beliefs than a question to his best friend that he knew didn’t have a choice in the matter. He notices Jason’s silence. “You worried about tomorrow?”

“No…_and yes_,” He admits, trying to find the words to explain his conundrum. “I know how to do my job well; I’ve been training for this my whole life…_but_…”

” But…?”

“I don’t know if I could live up to my dad, _the great witch hunter_.” He points up to painting of his father above the fireplace of tavern, he’s in his Wolf form, a Witch’s broken spine under his paw and a Witch’s decapitated head in his teeth. His dark blonde fur is matted with blood. “That isn’t me…and I don’t think it ever will be.”

“_Then be you_…” Zack says, stuttering at the picture. He owes his allegiance to Wolves, for their contribution to the war, as does any Beast but he never cared for their political views one bit. He throws his arm around Jason’s shoulders, trying to distract him from his looming future. “Let’s get you soppy drunk, maybe find you a runt who can keep his mouth shut and you won’t even be able to remember your own name, much less worry about the future.”

The Wolf laughs, as he’s dragged off by his good friend. “And maybe I’ll convince those She-Wolves to accept a stand in, in my place.”

“Now there is the Jason I know and _tolerate_!” Zack roars to the ceiling of the tavern. They could all get lucky tonight.

And Jason did have his good night. He drank his fill of mead, got in a tavern brawl with a couple foxes, _won_ and bedded a traveling Wolf from the neighboring town Amber Beach, who didn’t know his name or rank. So, he didn’t have to worry about secrecy. After all that, he prepared diligently for his run with his pack. He shifted, substituting his man-like flesh for fur, and gave over fully to _The Beast_ within.

At exactly midnight he raced through the untamed hills and mountains, alongside his cub of a sister, mother, father and extended pack members. They played, fought and rolled around in the dirt and grass, nothing more than big dogs. Silvery Moon light shined down on them, and fresh wind rustled through their fur, and he was reminded of why he needed to protect his home, for not just his pack but _all beasts_. Witches seek to take these freedoms from them.

The fundamental rules of the Forest Ranger runs through his mind. Rule 1: _Never take off the armor_. Rule 2: _Remain in your wolf form at all times_. Rule 3: _Summon the pack upon seeing a Witch_. Rule 4: _Never reason with a Witch_. Rule 5: _Kill Witches on sight_. If he kept these in mind, he’d do just fine.  
  
  
  
  



	2. Red hood (Day One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day of Billy's mission.

The sun is shining, big and bright in the sky. Not a dark cloud in sight. On this faithful mid-morning Billy steps out of his cottage home, his mother kisses him on the forehead before he is permitted to leave. “Stay on the path child and follow the rules,” The Witch Mother begs, knowing her curious son and his wondering eyes. Sadly, he takes this after her.

“I will!” He calls back, so mentally preoccupied that he nearly tripped over a discarded potion bottle. Littering is just not neighborly.

“Watch your step,” The fairy Tanya warns, as she sees the familiar sight of the stumbling Witch. She still giggles, even as she wishes him well.

“Morning Tanya!” He greets. She smiles and waves him off.

Adam the elf emerged from an open window. The scent of freshly baked bread wafts through the air. “Where ya headed Billy?”

“Um…um…an errand,” He stutters, gripping his basket of goods, (the medicine hidden in a wine bottle, next to two slices of cake) and red hood slung over his shoulder, (masquerading as a picnic blanket). He’s just terrible at lying. “In…in…the next township over!”

“We’ll have a good trip, bring me back some stories!”

“Will do!”

And his walk to the perimeter of the woods goes a lot like that. He is greeted and given well wishes by all those who knew and liked him. He is quite the popular fellow, beloved by most, yet still considered unapproachable in a lot of respects, for being The Witch Elder’s grandson and a magical genius in his own right. A lonely Witch, in Township populated by mostly Witches is unfathomable. Though he ponders these things, he never busied himself with self-pity. There is work to be done.

Only when arriving near the woods, does he dons the red hood, covering the entirety of his body until he appears to be a _red specter_. The smooth red velvet of the hood and the silver thread shimmers under the light of the sun. A slight bell chime rings in Billy’s ear and it reminds, that the magic is in full affect. _It is time_.

He inhales deeply, and steps between two large entry trees, breaching the treaty. It was now or never. Either he turns back now or continues onward, towards possible doom. And like anyone with an insatiable inquisitive mind, he chooses to explore further.

And he is immediately rewarded for his decision, the forest is more than he could ever imagine. Lush and alive unlike anything he had seen before. Old world magic is seeping out of the very dirt ground as he walks on and stirring in the air with the breeze. He feels more powerful and in tuned with the nature goddess more than ever before. This is what those Trespassing Witches before risked their lives for. It’s worth it.

Rays of sunlight shine down from the sky, piercing the thick canopy of The Forest, and lands on several magic flora. They gives off alluring scents and were uniquely beautiful and rare anywhere else but bountiful here. It took all of Billy’s willpower not run over and pluck one right off their bush. Oh, the medicines and salves these can make. Rule 6:_ Take nothing_, He hears his mother’s stern voice in his head.

He gnaws on his fingernails when _BEASTS_ pass him while he walks down the path to Grandmother’s house. A fox bounds around him and he trembles. A blue bird, the same shade of blue of his house colors flutters around him but doesn’t land. His nervousness is melted away completely when a centaur walks by him without even glancing in his direction. The red hood works. He is truly invisible.

Billy is made so relaxed and confident by Beasts ignoring him, that he merrily _skips_ all the way to grandmother’s house. He can’t even remember the last time he _skipped_. But he did now, skips and absorbs whatever he could, air, light and sounds of mystical creatures. Freedom feels _splendid._

Little did he know he has been noticed. A blonde-furred Wolf obscures himself in the nearby thicket, with his nostrils to the ground, trailing a peculiar scent. It is an unbelievably irresistible scent, one minute he was breaking up a fight between two boars (_a domestic dispute_) and the next minute he was racing through the forest towards a scent more delicious than _freshly killed_ _venison_. _So sweet. So raw._

As he moves towards the scent, he looks up from his position, and sees nothing. He smells it. He senses an aura, a life force. But he doesn’t see anything. Just the clear forest path and a few lesser Beasts. What is it?

A mystery doesn’t deter him. It is right up The Forest Ranger’s Alley. He follows the scent for miles. It leads him to The Elder Witch’s cottage of all places. He and most Wolves made sure to avoid this forsaken place, because her acre of land was _Witch’s Territory_, even if it was in The Forest. She would be in the right to kill him if he trespassed onto her property.

Normally he wouldn’t even think of it, it was completely out of the question but now the thought crosses his mind. The allure of the scent fills him with feral _WANTS and primal NEEDS_. He whimpers and whines real low as the scent wonders onto Witch Territory, into forbidden land.

With his keen Wolf’s eyes, he watches as the great blue door to the Elder’s door opened by itself, and the scent disappears within, and it slams shut. Damn Witch’s magic, Jason curses internally. She stole _it_. _It anguishes him_. He collapses into the dirt and rolls around, being deprived from the scent is maddening. He wants it. He wants to taste it. To rub his nose all over it.

He spends an hour desperately waiting for the scent to reappear before he hears the distinct shrill sound of a screeching harpy, she’s in danger and is forced by his dedication to his duty to attend to it. It ached his heart to leave where he lay in wait for _it_ but d_uty calls_.

*****

Now inside the cottage, Billy releases a sigh of relief. He made it. Slowly he wonders into grandmother’s dusty old cottage. It appears she’s been ill for so long that she hadn’t the strength to clean. It’s just wretched. He passes dusty shelves after dusty shelves of bottled potions and tomes. He passes the kitchen, with a sink piled high with grimy dishes. He passes the bathtub that was caked with scum and growing mold. And kept walking straight until he locates Grandmother’s bedroom.

Crossing the threshold, he enters the bedroom. The curtains are drawn so the place is dark and gloomy. The stale scent of sickness and age causes Billy to recoil. Overflowing chamber pot of piss and whatever else beside the bed causes him to gag. Is this how she has been living? Why didn’t she send word for help sooner?

“Grandmother!” He calls out, and a lump stirs and groans in the bed. He runs towards the head of the bed, pulling away heaps of soiled sheets.

“My dear,” Grandmother groans out, despite her illness and sorry state she smiles at him. “_You came_.”

“We got your pigeon,” Billy says, mopping her brow of sweat. “Everything will be alright from now on.”

“You brave beautiful boy,” She says smiling weakly, and even in her state, he could see she was still the lovely lively woman he knew and cared for. She just needed some TLC.

Not a second later he springs into action. He administers today’s dosage of the serum, which puts her to sleep and then he attends to the chores around the house. Hired beast helpers would do these chores for her normally, but she sent them away when she felt herself becoming ill. A gossip could mean the end of her. The Wolves must never know The Witch’s first line of defense has_ weaken._

As promised, Billy cooks, cleans, attends to his grandmother and heads right out after all his chores are completed. All while fighting the urge to meddle with his grandmother’s potions and go hunting for essential flora and herbs. What a wasted opportunity! Oh, it irritates him to no end how cautious his mother wants him to be. _But he obeys, out of love._

When done, he quickly treks through The Forest again and arrives at the entrance at sunset, going unnoticed by all who pass, _as invisible as ever_. His heart is pounding when he returns Witch Territory. He did it. He just performed a feat, worthy of praise, that made his years of study worth it. He only wishes he could have done more. If only he didn’t have so many rules to follow. Ah, the elusiveness of freedom.

*****

Miles away, Jason The Wolf is pacing the floor of “Ernie’s” Tavern, having to dull his senses with rum to not go full primal and hunt down the mysterious scent trapped in his nostrils, trapped in his head. Woe is him.

“Boy you’re going to rut your way through the floor,” His father says, approaching him, only to chuckle at his wild expression.

Jason tenses, bares his fangs and growls at his father. He looks like a Wolf that had been made feral by abject starvation. _Desperate and Debased._ He is protective of the scent, afraid that if he tells his father, he would take the scent from him. Take away his meal. Like the Witch had.

Samuel growls at Jason, and slammed him to the floor, holding him under his enormous paw. Jason bucks, squirms and gnaws at his father’s paw but Sam doesn’t let up until he calms down. He isn’t Alpha for nothing. “What’s wrong with you boy!”

“I don’t know!” Jason whines, scratching against the wooden floor. “There’s a scent trapped in my nose….!”

“A scent…” Sam mutters, thinking of the kinds of scents that can drive a young Wolf this mad. Then it strikes him like lightning. There is only one such scent. His eyes shines with pride and he chuckles low. “Was it sweet, like nectar?”

“Yes!” Jason whimpers, like a frightened cub.

“Was it raw and pungent like fresh _kill?_”

“_Yes!_” Jason whimpers, even louder, hating being held down by force. But he doesn’t dare challenge his father to a fight. He is desperate, not suicidal.

“Could you track it for miles and miles.”

“Yes!” He growls, burying his face into a rug on the floor. “But I can’t, it went beyond our territory,”

“It’s a Witch my boy!” He growls, face twisted into a wide devious grin. “You’ve sensed your first witch, prepare for The Hunt!”

_A real Witch_, Jason thought, calming down as he could finally pinpoint what was driving him mad with _WANTS_ and _NEEDS_ beyond his understanding. Two thousand years of evolution and adaption made the scent of a Witch, prey and predator at different times in history, distinct and unmistakable from all else. Nature has a way of drawing two kinds of people together as it simultaneously draws them apart. He had encountered his first Witch and though he didn’t know realize, _his body did_.

*****

That night Billy slept uneasily in his bed, dreaming of running through fields of wildflowers; Only to be disappointed when he was dragged away from them, by a powerful force. It trapped him within a blue cage, preventing him from seeing the world outside of the safety of his quaint Township. When you know what freedom feels and smells like,_ it is harder to give up_.

At the same time, Jason rolled around in bed, wracked with fever dreams of killing and eating his first Witch. While he once felt his heart was not up for this savagery, he had neglected to consider that his body had a mind of it’s own. Ideology had become biology with evolution. Becoming a slave to his urges, he vowed that tomorrow he would capture and kill this invisible Witch. Just to end his suffering. _A hunting he must go_.

Witch Mother Candace slept soundly in the room next to Billy’s, a smile on her face. Her son had heeded her word and had completed day one of his venture into _The Forest_. Maybe she had been overreacting and he would face no such dangers. She slept unaware that her worried mind, that caused her to prick her finger, and drop fresh Witch’s blood unto the red hood would endanger his life more than anything else Billy could have done.


	3. Red Hood (Day Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day two of Billy's mission.

The second day was as uneventful as the first. Candace gives Billy a kiss goodbye, he is greeted by all the friendly town’s folk, he dons his red hood and enters the forest carrying his basket of well disguised objects. He is just as dazzled by all that he sees, hears and feels in the forest, as he was the day before. The longer he is exposed to this mystical energy, the stronger he feels.

His urge to frolic through the fields and covet every flower he comes across grows stronger too. He bites his fingernails just to keep his impulse under control, it is driving him mad. Something powerful is close. So close it gives him shivers. It is like someone whispering on the back of his neck, causing his hairs to stand on end. An itch he can’t scratch. _So close._

He couldn’t possibly conceive of what could trigger his responses this way. _Strange_. So, he ignores it and progresses to Grandmother’s cottage. The walk was even quicker now that he wasn’t as afraid and inexperienced. Upon arrival, he does the same routine. He administers today’s dose of serum, to his sleeping grandmother, (who had entered a kind of hibernating state), to undo the effects of the illness that had ravaged her body. There isn’t much cleaning to do, (considering all the work he did yesterday), so he cooks a meal for her to eat. He’s a decent cook. If he has a recipe to follow, he can make something taste delicious, because cooking isn’t all that different from chemistry. He decides to make potatoes, and roasted beef. And a small pie for dessert.

To cool the pie he opens the window, and cool air wafts in, as the steaming scent of the cherry pie wafts out. For a moment he lowers his hood to feel the sunshine down against his skin. Even the sun shines differently in The Forest. It’s warm beams dance on his brown skin, the birds in Oak trees sing sweetly, pretty flowers grow out yonder. He feels at peace. This place is merry. This is a good place, no matter what was said about it. It welcomes him.

Once again, he wrestles with the desire to read his Grandmother’s ancient tomes and meddle with her potions. He wrestles with his desires to gain _forbidden_ knowledge and to partake in the taboo. To know more of The Great Story, and to be an active participant in it, instead of being a victim to its whims.

But he was a good boy, and he did as any good boy would do. He abstained from indulging his urges. He obeyed his mother, to the letter. It didn’t stop him from thinking of ways to ask his beloved Grandmother if he could view the tomes earlier than prohibited, or to at least take one of the rare plants to dabble with in his study. She could very well say yes to him; she is much less cautious and strict than his mother. And as her only grandchild, she loves him and spoils him rotten. A breaking of rules was probably doable, he’ll be sure to ask her when she wakes.

Dwelling on his positive thought, he begins to stroll back out of The Forest. It should be quick light stroll. But that feeling emerged again. That gnawing feeling that someone or something is right behind him, breathing on the back of his neck. It made him tingle all over. He hasn’t decided if it was a bad or good feeling yet, all he knew, was that it was _stimulating_. Stirring his faculties.

He bit his bottom lip and fought through the _feeling_. Little did he know he is being followed by a Wolf. The ferocious blonde-furred Wolf follows Billy, from the brushes beside the path, taking care to move along with wind, to obscure the rustling of the brushes. As he was trained. He follows his nose, ears, and elusive sixth sense, for his eyes are hellbent on convincing him that no one was there. That he was tracking a ghost, and not a Witch like his father, a veteran Witch Hunting Ranger would have him believe.

Being quick of wit, in comparison to the average Wolf, Jason lays a trap for his invisible Witch. On the path ahead, he dug a pit with his bare paws, covered it with leaves and lay thin strips of gold in the center. Witches love gold, that was one of the first lessons his father taught him. He had spent all night fantasizing about just how he would capture the object of his desire: When the Witch reaches for the gold, Jason expects them to fall in, and then he will pounce, clamping his fangs on their neck and sinking his teeth in. Breaking skin. Tasting _quivering_ flesh. And _raw_ blood. Having subdued the Witch, he’ll howl for his father and his pack to come help him tear it to shreds. Then he’d be free of his _primal yearnings_.

If only he knew he was the cause of someone else’s torment too.  
  
Unfortunately, Jason isn’t prepared for what happens. The conniving Gold loving Witch steps around and pass the gold strips. Jason doesn’t see this, but he senses it pass him and he has no option but to follow it, away from his ingenious pit trap. It baffled him. Weren’t Witches supposed to have an uncontrollable gold lust? All the books say so, and he went and spent his whole monthly stipend on those strips dammit!

Jason follows the scent, unable to see the peaceful expression on Billy’s face as he strolls along. Billy was descended from silver Witches, who had abandoned the need for gold eons ago, and due to the outbreak of gold sickness, he knows to avoid it at all cost. Also rule 6: _Take nothing,_ is still very much in affect.

Oh, this uncharacteristic behavior frustrates Jason. He must fight to hold back a growl and not just pounce on the thin air in the direction of the scent. But chances are, if he did, he wouldn’t even touch his target, and the Witch would get the upper hand, burning him to a crisp or much worse. He is reminded of his uncle had lost a leg to a Witch, and now cannot hunt anything larger than a doe.

Anti-magic armor only covers so much of him. He has to be tactful about this. Sadly, he was never raised to be tactful, he was raised to be strong and fearsome. All he had in his arsenal were primitive hunting traps that have been passed down his family line for generations and were made for trapping other Beasts and not sinister Witches. Coming to realize this was _disheartening_.

If this kept up, Jason would never be fully blooded, he’d never be like his father or even better than him, like his father hoped. He was going to be a failure. Disappointed in himself, Jason follows the scent of the Witch, with his nose press to the ground.

While Jason wallows in self-pity, Billy continues his journey as normal, completely unaware that he was being pursued by a persistent Wolf, with self-esteem issues and a chip on his shoulder. Had he known he might have gotten some relief to know he wasn’t going crazy, there was indeed someone breathing down his neck. And he would have also been terrified, he’d never killed anything or anyone before and would rather not be put in a situation where he would have to. Even if it is a vicious barbaric Wolf.

He is just mere minutes from reaching the Township, when something shoots into a nearby tree. Startled, Billy drops to his knees, and covers his head, worried he has been spotted and is being fired at. _Oh god I’m under attack_, He thought, preparing to panic and run, as taught.

When stones fell at his feet, and he hears the giggle of children in the thicket, just a few yards off. He relaxes. It was just a gaggle of children, he couldn’t tell their faction, possibly hunting with slingshots and blow tubes. They can’t see him, and he is far enough that he could get away by just running. Nothing to fear at all.

That is until something falls out of the three, onto his head. Billy leaps into the air, shaking the object off him, and unto the ground. Knocking off his hood in the process. As he’s about to run away, he sees what fell onto him. It was a nest of bluebirds. The same bluebirds his mother would embroider into his clothing. Their color made them a worthy sigil for his house.

Drops of blood fall onto the dirt path. The biggest bird, the mother, has been severely wounded. She is about to die, leaving behind a nest of three baby bluebirds, too young to survive without her. Billy is saddened by this; he watches as the mother twitches and the little baby bird tweet anxiously. They aren’t stupid. They are aware something was wrong.

He thought of his father, and how he was devastated when he had lost him. He can’t bare to see anyone lose their parents. _Even birds._ His empathy didn’t have a cutoff point. He can’t bare to abandon these creatures, especially when he is a Witch with a particularly strong healing attribute he inherited from his mother.

He inhales, thinking hard on the rules his mother. _Rule 2: Never use magic in the forest_. What’s one little quick spell? He quickly scans the area and sees no one. It is just him and docile nature. The laughter of the children is barely audible. He just needs to do this as quickly as possible and then bolt off towards the Township at top speed, never looking back. That’s it. That’s what he’ll do.

After deciding on a course of act, he releases a breath he had forgotten he was holding. It exhilarated him, breaking rules like this. It must be the most daring thing he has ever done, besides venturing into The Forest. Hastily, he takes up the twitching mother bird into his palm, ignoring the sound of the angrily tweeting children.

“_Rursus sanabunt_,” He whispers into his palm, causing it to glow with a silvery light. He closes his palm tightly, covering the whole bird, appearing to be smother it to anyone watching. Then he reopens it. When his palm opens, the blood as dried, the wounds has disappeared, and the mother bird is tweeting happily again.

She flies near his cheek, landing on his shoulder. He chuckles, tickled by her feathers. He’s already done enough for her, more than anyone else would, yet he still picks up the nest, and climbs the tall tree, hiding the nest more securely than before.

The grateful mother returns to her nest to tend to her children, singing a serenade of gratitude, a song probably about _kind Witches_. Back on the ground, Billy adjusts his hood, putting it back into place after it had slipped down. It then comes to his attention that he has broken two of his mother’s rules. Rules one and two. And unlike his mother’s prediction, he wasn’t immediately attacked by a mob of feral Wolves. 

The forest is just peace as before. It would have been a pity to let that bird die, Billy thought, rationalizing his decision. His mother would be proud that he upheld the family tradition of helping others. He isn’t about to tell his mother anytime soon, but it was a nice thought.

He races all the way home, practicing what he was going to say to his mother to hide his guilt. He doesn’t even know why he feels guilty for doing what is right. It’s not like anyone saw him.

Except someone did see his singular grievous Folly.

Jason, the Wolf tracking him, had looked up just in time to see Billy’s hood fall off his head. And then everything became visible. He would saw fellow, in a red hood. He had been following someone! His hard work was finally being vindicated! But this person wearing the hood didn’t look like a villainous Witch!

The sun beams danced down on warm brown skin, that reminded Jason of _dark mahogany._ The books and painting told him Witches had sickly gray and green skin. His eyes were large and shaped like those of a cats or foxes. His face was without warts or much blemishes of any kind. His lips were full, and not the pale wrinkled lines he had been told to expect. His nose wasn’t hooked either. What exactly was true in the books? Was this even a Witch? Had he been tracking an elf prince this whole time? _His lack of pointy ears says otherwise_. 

Why hadn’t the ancient books or the leaders prepared him for the reality of hunting a Witch. Why hadn’t they told him Witches were phenomenally _beautiful_. So beautiful you’d be frozen in a spot staring at them, instead of pouncing on them and killing them instantly like you’ve been taught to. There was nothing in his schoolbooks about the kindness of Witches, the type that will put their lives in jeopardy to heal a measly bird. He didn’t even know Witches could do good with their powers, weren’t there powers solely to cause suffering. Why hadn’t they told him Witches smiled, gorgeous smiles that make your do heart flips. Had he ever seen a more radiant creature? A creature full of rare _innocence _in this corrupt world. 


	4. BIG BAD WOLF

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason's confusion manifests.

What was happening to Jason? He just watched as his target healed the bird, climbed a tree to return and went on his merry way. He followed him all the way to the entrance of The Forest from the bushes but could not muster enough confidence and strength to intervene in his escape or introduce himself. He was coming to terms with his world view being rocked to the core. His mind clouded over with curious thoughts.

What else had his father lied to him about? 

Did the war even happen the way they say it did? 

What could he do to see this Witch again?  
  
What was he willing to do, for more?   
  
Jason’s breathing hitched in his throat when the Witch disappeared through trees, he dares not cross. It wasn’t disappointment at a failed attempt at murder. It was anguish at a failed connection. He stayed there for several minutes, sniffing the air, and rolling around in the spot the Witch had knelt. Some of his energy, his residual magical aura was there. Jason bathed in it.

When he went home that night, he was dripping the blood and boiling over. He’d hunted and slaughtered a herd deer just earlier. He had to. His body was feverish, his blood boiled, he sweated profusely, and his heart galloped. He hadn’t gotten his Witch blood and flesh, so he had to find a substitute to _curb_ his appetite just long enough to regain some shred of sanity. 

Beasts ran from him when he strutted into his pack’s commune, blonde fur soaked with blood. His eyes were wild with bloodlust, and he growled at anything and everyone. They Beasts were reminded of the true nature of Wolves, they might be their protectors, but they were still predators of the highest caliber.

“Another day without catching your Witch?”His father asked, when Jason entered the commune’s gates. He could recognize all the signs of bloodlust in his son from a mile away and gained pride from it. His boy was becoming a man.

Jason could only nod and seethed.

“You’ll get your chance, keep at it,” Alpha Sam encouraged Jason. He didn’t go into much detail about what he should be doing, as usual, because many considered bloodlust a personal matter. As embarrassing to talk about with your children as sex or drug use. And he wasn’t going to give Jason a leg-up when his father never gave him one. “Keep at the books, and maybe something in there will work for you…”

Jason couldn’t help grimacing. He highly doubted the books had all he needed. And if he took his encounter with the Witch into account, maybe only of fraction of it was useful to him. While the other fraction was just speculation and misinformation.

“Maybe I should catch your Witch for you…” Hawkeye came crawling around the corner, baring his fangs in a wide grin. He had caught his Witch last year, so he did have more experience than Jason, but to be fair, he was three years older than Jason and didn’t catch his Witch alone. Unlike the Alpha’s son, other Wolves weren’t under the pressure to hunt alone, so course _he_ had more success than Jason. “I’ll take the kill…and you can reap the rewards.” 

He laughed, because he was playing, using playful banter too. Hut Jason was not in any mood for playing. He interpreted the snide comment as a challenge, and pounced on the other Wolf, knocking him to the ground, with the strength of ferocity of a dire Wolf, attacking its prey. Hawkeye’s soft underbelly was exposed to him, making him vulnerable to Jason. Before Hawkeye would whine out a surrender, Jason sunk his fangs into Hawkeye’s belly, tearing open a wound that gushed blood. 

“Enough!” Alpha Sam ordered Jason. Fighting was normal for Wolves; Alpha Sam wouldn’t normally bat an eye at having two Wolves fight out a disagreement, but Jason was taking things too far. From the severity of his bite, he had every intention to kill and eat Hawkeye, and one just doesn’t do that to their own. They were Werewolves, _not dogs_. 

He had to pull Jason off the young Wolf, dragging him away by the tuft of the neck. Jason growled, and squirmed, gnawing at his father’s massive paws any chance he got. With a swing of his jaw, Alpha Sam threw him across the commune, until he was just lying curled up on the ground. 

A few moments later, the other pack members began wondering out of their dens, and out of the nearby thicket, drawn to the sound of Hawkeye howls of pain and Alpha Sam commanding growl. “Take care of Hawkeye!” He ordered the She-Wolf Rebecca, whose father was the closest thing The Wolves had to a healer monk. And like a good soldier, she did as she was told, helping the rest of the Wolves tug the injured wolf into the den, before racing off to go find her father. He wouldn’t die, but he’d have a massive scar and be bedridden for days.

“As for you!” He bellowed at Jason, who had just managed to stagger to his feet. “You are forbidden from entering the commune until you’ve caught your Witch…” He appeared stanch in his resolve, but a hint of fatherly remorse was in his eyes and voice. “Until you close this chapter in your life, you’ll be a danger to your fellow Wolves…isolate yourself in the hills…” 

The other Wolves agreed, nodding their heads. His behavior lately was appalling. Jason was heartbroken, it was only temporarily, banishment from the pack was a fate worse than death. Reserved only for the most reviled criminals and outcasts. He was a social creature for god’s sake, hunting alone was already incredibly hard, but doing so while not being able to go home to his kin, would be just unbearable. He’d miss out on running. And sleeping huddle in a pile on the floor. Sharing a kill.

After receiving his sentence, he felt his mother licking the blood out of his fur and his sister nuzzling her snout into his coat. They were consoling him the only way they could. His father’s word was law, so very few could challenge it. But he was determined to try. “I can control myself!” He pleaded to his father, bowing his head to the ground and whimpering like a child. “Don’t send me away…’ 

“I can’t play favorites Jason…” Alpha Sam said, taking on the dignified presence of an Alpha Wolf, a father whose decree needed to be respected or he’d lose face. “What if your mother…. or pearl irritate you next? Would you attack them too? Rip them to pieces?”

“No! Of course not!” Jason argued, growling at his father. How could he even think such a thing! Sadly, there was some truth to what was being said. A Wolf in bloodlust would find it harder to differentiate prey from friend or family. Seeing both Alpha Sam and Jason on edge, his sister and mother backed away slowly, scared of what might occur. Jason saw this and assumed they were afraid of him. “I’m sorry….” He apologized to everyone, backing out of the commune of dens. “I’ll…kill the Witch…and be back_ soon_.”  
  
“Atta boy…” His father commended, solemnly, hiding the pain in his voice and expression. He can’t be caught showing too much weakness, not even to his own son. The entirely pack watched as Jason gathered his hunting gear, and weapons. Howls of pain ushered him off.

He shifted sometime on his walk away from the commune. On two feet, buck naked, covered in scratches and blood. He found his way to Zack’s cabin in deeper into woods. Even though his father told him to isolate himself, he couldn’t bare it. At least he would live with his friend.

_Zack wasn’t home, so h_e was alone with his thoughts. He decided the next day to engage the Witch. Even if for a moment before he kills it. There was so much he could have asked the Witch. What was the world like beyond those trees? What stories were you told? Why are you so beautiful?

*****

As Jason was being temporarily banished to protect others from the effects of his bloodlust, Billy had finally returned home. It took him longer than usual because he had to stop at the apothecary to get a potion for his nerve. “How can I help you?” Kendall the high elf asked when she saw Billy wondering her shop, eyeing her potions.

“I…I…I’ve seen a…um…terrible sight…can I have something?” Billy cleared his throat, as the stern woman raised her eyebrow. “Something to calm me…make it easier to talk…to people…easier to lie.” 

She smirked, and offered him a cup of chamomile tea, she had brewed in the backroom. For added effect she dropped a couple drops of brave-root into the cup and stirred. It wasn’t a particularly strong brew, because brave root was too rare to waste, but it did the job. It started to relax him.   
  
“If you ever come across any rare flowers, I’m willing to buy them from you for a rare,” Kendall initiated conversation.

Billy took a big gulp of his tea. “Where would I find rare flowers?”

“In your travels,” She explained, pointing to the red hood peeking out of his basket.

Nervously, Billy pushed the red hood further into his basket. “I don’t travel…this is just a picnic blanket…for when I have picnics…”

She forced herself to smile. She knew very well what that red hood meant. Half of what she had in her store was due to the brave suppliers who go into The Forest, and take as much as they can, before they are killed in the long run. “That’s a pity…with this gold sickness going around…”

Billy frantically chugged the tea, emptying the cup. “Well thank you!” He said, resting the cup down gentle, and placing three silver coins onto the table. “Bye!” He called out, as he raced through the door. 

Kendall sighed, and went back to her work. If this shortage continued, she’d have to risk going into The Forest herself. She was highly capable but not exceptionally very strong or powerful. She depended on others, and she just hated that. 


	5. Gold Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy learns more.

The tea fully kicked in soon enough. So, when Billy walked into the house, he walked with the confidence of a man that hadn’t committed a _sin _in his life_. An innocent man. _That is exactly the mindset he needed, or he wasn’t going to be fooling his mother one bit.

To his luck, when he entered the Cabin, he didn’t see his mother. She wasn’t in her usual places, reading in her study or brewing in the kitchen. But he did happen to hear commotion coming from the dungeon cellar below cottage. It was the sound of metal crashing to the ground.

He wasn’t forbidden from going into the dungeon, but he had been told by his mother several times, that he wasn’t prepared for all that was there. It was too gruesome for her sweet boy. The path of healer Witch wasn’t all curing children’s colds and zapping away unsightly warts. It could be scary business.

“Mom…?” He called, as he carefully stepped down the concrete stairs. The hall was dimly lit, and the air was sweltering hot. “Do you need my help…?”

Eerie silence was penetrated by the shrill screeching and sounds of hissing. Billy didn’t need to hear anymore. He knew his mother was in danger. After descending the stairs, he began running through the hallway. Passing jail cell after cell, filled with murderous creatures. They shouted slurs and curses his way, but he just shut his eyes and ignored it all, in pursuit of his mother. He hoped nothing had happened to her.

At the very end of the hall of jail cells, was an examination room. Its giant stone door was wide open. Out poured the sounds of a creature cursing and hissing, while metal objects and glass would be heard crashing to the ground. Billy had no choice but the run in. “Mom!”

_Oh my god_. He had wondered in on a sight he’d never seen before in his life. A dwarf in a yellow hat struggles with what appears to be a strange Witch in chains, chained to the wall with large iron shackles, around her neck and arms. The Witch flailed her body on the floor and tugged at the chains but the little woman was too strong. She kicked her back to the wall, real hard.

The feral Witch managed to topple over his mother’s examination table, scattering her scrolls and her craving instruments all over the place. His mother was in a corner picking up turned over vials. Billy would help, but he wasn’t needed, the dwarf woman, though small, showed signs that she was a capable Ranger or rogue, avoiding every attack.

Almost every attack, The Witch managed to break one of her shackles, freeing her left arm. In that split second, she slashed at the face of the Dwarf, racking her talons across her left cheek. Craving open her skin. It sent her stumbling to the floor. Billy ran over to her, pulling her away from the Witch who launched another attack. “Let me go!” The Dwarf hissed at Billy, forcing her way out of his arms.

“It’s is going to kill you!”

_“She wishes_…” The Dwarf wiped the blood from her face and jumped back into the fray. She latched onto the feral Witch, and wrestled her to the ground, pining her arms over her head. “Do that again, and I’ll slit your throat!” 

The Witch cackled and spat in her face. The spew was black, like the fluid seeping out of her eyes and wounds. She was beyond reason, and he suspected she may not even be a Witch. What kind of abomination was this? 

“Quick Tommy, Sedate her!” Candace shouted. The Dragon-borne assistant, that Billy’s mother had been expecting for some time, raced into the room, pushing past Billy with a big syringe in her hand. The kind Billy used to administer Grandmother’s serum.

While the Dwarf held down the Witch, The Dragon-borne injected her with a pink fluid into her arm. The Witch resisted of course, trying to squirm her way out from under the little woman but it was useless. The Dwarf was too strong and the concoction in the needle was too potent. Her movements slowed, and slowed, until it stopped completely. She fell asleep.

“She’s getting worse…” Tommy said, collapsing onto the ground.

“Are you sure we can save her?” The Dwarf asked, lifting herself off the sleeping Witch.

“We have to try,” Candace sighed in relief, stumbling to her feet. “Kimberly’s parents are old friends on mine...I owe them an attempt...She was such a good girl…”

“Tell that to my wounds…” The Dwarf stretched, rotating the kinks out of her neck. She’d worked up quite a sweat. “She’s lucky her family is loaded…. or I wouldn’t even bother bringing her in…”

“You’re a saint Trini,” Candace sarcastically retorted. “A credit to bounty hunters everywhere.”

It was a full minute or so before she noticed Billy in the corner, trembling and wide eye. “Mom what’s going on...?”

He asked. “Billy…you’re back early,” Candace said nervously, surprised by his sudden appearance, despite him being there for some time now. She had been caught. “How is mother…?”

“Mom what is going on!” He demanded to know, showing his confusion at the whole episode, and anger at her for dismissing him. Trying to keep secrets from him. He’d never seen anything like this. What world had he stumbled in on?

She had no choice but to be honest with him. “This is gold poisoning Billy…first comes gold sickness, a witch seeks it out, the tainted gold drives her feral mad, it poisons her, and she slowly turns Lamia…” She picked up large green scales off the ground, that had molted off Kimberly. “This is what happened to Rita…._ The Gold Witch_…. she embraced it and became a monster…she poisoned the gold reserves so that others end up like her…” 

“Will she be alright?” He pointed to Kimberly, sleeping peacefully, as if she wasn’t half a feral monster just moments ago.

“We don’t know yet…”

“Isn’t there anything I can do?”

“What you’re already doing is enough.” 

“Can’t I do more?” Billy pleaded, knowing he could do much more. He wasn’t top of his class for nothing. He was desperate to put his skills to practical use and had been for some time now. It was in his nature. “I’m not a kid anymore…_let me help_.” 

Candace took a hold of his arm, and lead him out of the door, away from the gruesome scene. She clasped his face in her hands, looking at him through the eyes of a doting mother. This frustrated Billy but he didn’t show it. He knew his mother meant nothing by her protectiveness of him. It was the way she showed her love, but he had long outgrown such things. “One step at a time Billy, heal your grandmother first, then after she’s back to full health, I’ll consult her about involving you in the relief efforts….” She smiled as she ushered Billy away from the examination room. “These things take time…” 

Billy wasn’t as good of a lie detector as his mom, but he knew when she was being disingenuous. She used the same tone, she used to tell him folktales as a kid. She was spinning him a yarn. She had no plans of involving Billy. As soon as his first mission was over, she’d close off all channels on information and bury him under a pile of paperwork and research. Anything to keep him safe. “Okay…till then,”

He appeared to have accepted the plan. “Good,” She kissed his nose. “Go rest up for tomorrow.”

He went to his room, like any good son would and prepared for the next day. Tomorrow Billy would have to matters into his own hands. For the greater good.


	6. Red  riding hood and The Big Bad Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting Properly acquainted.

This day is going to be different. Billy has a plan, a scheme. He is planning to finish all his chores for Grandma super early and offer to dust her shelves. In dusting her shelves if he were to knock over a book, if it landed open, it wouldn’t be breaking the rules but pick it up and look at it. His near eidetic memory would just need a few second to memorize its contents. And if he did that to every book on his Grandmother’s self, he’d be a master wizard in no time. And would be an accident, so it wouldn’t count. He wouldn’t even have to feel guilty, in theory.

Early morning, he doesn’t even see his mother, so he doesn’t have to face her when leaving for grandmother’s house. Phew. She is working in the dungeon, more quietly this time. But there is a steaming bowl of porridge on the table topped with blueberries, the basket is packed for him, and his robe is hanging on the coat rack. Even in her busiest moments, she thinks of him. There is the faintest hint of guilt building within him. He quickly eats breakfast and rushes out of the door before she sees him.

He doesn’t see Adam or Tanya for the morning, they were too busying opening their parents’ shops, a music store and bakery respectively. But Kendall does wave at him when he walks by the apothecary, he waves happily back until he sees her eyes wander to the red hood wrapped around his arm. She smiles, an uncharacteristic smile, and he walks faster to avoid being confronted by her. No one else pays much attention to him, the community has now gotten use to Billy’s early morning excursions to the nearby town.

Having entered the Forest, He dons the red hood and strolls down the dirt-path to Grandma’s house. The same natural majesty of his surroundings he has come to know hadn’t lessened with his familiarity to it. The sun rays still energize him. The magical aura enters his every pore. The flora gives off unique fragrances and itty-bitty fauna (bugs, birds, and rodents) fills the Forest with a symphony of natural sounds.

Was there ever a more beautiful place? If there was, Billy would do anything to be invited there, to set off on an adventure with a band of friends. Until then, he’d enjoy what little he could see of this Forest.

A half league from grandmother’s house, he walks under a tall Oak tree, and is bombarded by the tweeting of bluebirds who fly in his face. He tries to gently shoo them again, but then he recognizes the larger of the two. It was mother bluebird he had healed the day before. He puts out his hand and allows her to land on his arm. She sings for him, sweet and genteel, as if she was once a pressed, cursed to be a bird. He listens politely until she stops her serenade, when she does, he smiles tenderly. “Good morning,” He greets her.

“Good morning…” He hears in a rough voice. His eyes widen as he looks to the mother bluebird who had just open her beak.

“You can talk?” Billy asks, flabbergasted by his discovery. Maybe he has wandered onto a princess cursed to be a bird. A princess with a particularly gruff voice. How amazing is this!

Someone behind him clears their throat, ruining his fantasy, and causing him to leap two feet into the air out of fright. “I talk well enough,” they said, a lot less gruff, and almost timid.

Billy freezes in his tracks, not turning around.

Oh god, he has spoken to someone. He has broken Rule 3: Do not stop walking for any reason and Rule 4: Don’t talk to anyone. He was in a world of trouble with his mom. How did they see him anyway? Did him speaking nullify the properties of the red hood? URG! His mom was so busy telling him what not to do, that she did she didn’t tell him what to if he gets noticed. What if they wanted to hurt him? What if it was a Wolf? Should he run? Is running a good option?

He’s going to run!

“Where are you going Red hood?” The person asks. Billy doesn’t respond. He’s filled with the feeling of intimidation he felt walking home the other day, as he was being watched. Cool breath against the back of his neck. It’s exhilarating and that fact is scary.

They move to approach him and immediately Billy starting speed walking away, his hands stiff at his side like a puppet. It was clear that he is about to race off, frightened by their sudden interruption of his peaceful morning. Deer had a habit of pausing just so in front of a predator before speeding off. As Billy picks up speed, a swift strong hand grasps his hand. He’s caught.

He must fight his way free.

Instinctively Billy’s eyes glow under his hood, and his fist clenches and without him even trying his body prepares to fire a powerful jolt of energy in defense, so that he can escape. He’d forgotten he could even do this. He inherited it from his father, and his dad died before he could explain the how to control it. Here it goes!

“Please help me!” The stranger begs, in the split second before Billy fires. Their voice is filled with painful desperation. They need him. Need him for what? That doesn’t matter, does it?

The energy building within Billy dissipates immediately. His eyes stop glowing, and his fist unclench. “What do you need?” He asks, lowering his hood, and facing the stranger. His altruism overtakes his overwhelming fear. It is his nature and there is nothing he could do to change it.

When his eyes land on the stranger, he smiles. And the stranger smiles back, closed mouth of course. It isn’t a Wolf. It isn’t a Beast at all. It appears to be a man. It is a young man about Billy’s age, with sharp blue eyes, groomed blond hair and a pink-tinged complexion. Is he blushing? Is he as nervous to talk to Billy, as Billy is?

This isn’t a Wolf. Wolves don’t blush. There is no blood-caked fur, protruding fangs or even bushy tail of death. Blessed be. A full-blooded human is in The Forest. He hasn’t seen an average human in years. They are nomadic, and few like dragons but were thought to be breed out of existence, when magic and magical beasts were introduced into their lineage. Even Billy had a little human heritage.

“Can you let me go now?” Billy asks stranger, a lot less nervous. A lot franker. “I can’t help you if you don’t let me go…”

The presumed human blushes, withdrawing his hand. Billy rubs his tender wrist, which causes the ‘human’ to spot that his sharp long claw-like fingernails had made dents in Billy’s skin, a little deeper and he would have pierced his skin and drawn blood. Who would have thought Witches were so fragile? One would have to be gentle with him, or he’d die.

The stranger clears his throat, to hide the gruffness in his voice. The same gruffness that frightens Billy; causing goosebumps to rise on his brown skin. “You’re a monk, aren’t you?”

“A monk?” Billy asks, perplexed by the accusation.

The Stranger touches the shelve of the red velvet cloak. “Monks wear cloaks in the Forest, don’t they? They heal people…are you a monk?”

“Um…ah…yes, I’m a monk…I’m a great monk…” Billy rambles nervously. He has been handed a cover on a silver platter, how convenient. Though he is a terrible liar, he hopes smiling would hide that fact. “I can definitely heal people…and I do have cloak…so I must be a monk.”

The human swallows a gulp. He has an expression that was a mix of desperation, and deep longing. He looks ill, and conflicted. The heat his hand gave off before had to be a sign of a fever. “Great…then you can help me…a friend of mine…accidently drank wine made of blighted fruits and is now dying…” He explains, as he wipes sweat from his forehead.

“Describe the blight?” Billy asks, leaping into problem.

“Black veins on the fruit…when you squeeze it black oozes…Bitter tastes I hear... carries a foul smell of death…”

Billy instantly thinks of the lamia Witch that spewed black bile. Is there a connection between the gold sickness and the blight? Whatever connect there might be, he at least knows black blighted food poisoning could easily be dealt with. Its cure is right inside his tomes at home. Luckily, he memorized them all. “All you’ll need to do is find nine long stem Elysian Flowers, pluck off its fruit, beat it into a paste, and make him eat it. Don’t worry, its delicious. And with the petals you’ll boil a tea. And with the washed roots and stem, you’ll soak them in warm bath and have your friend bath it in it for three and the effects of the blight poisoning should wear off,” Billy babbles on, a concentrated look on his face.

The stranger’s eyes show how bewildered he is by the information dump. Billy sees it too and laughs. “I can write all of that down for you if you want?” He asks.

“Please…” The stranger pleads. His voice is like honey, smooth and sweet, lacking most all that previous gruffness.

“All I need is a quill and a parchment,” Billy says. “I’ll write it down for you and I can be on my way…” He was already late.

He had to riffle though his bag for a few seconds, before he withdraws a quill and a torn piece of parchment from his satchel and hands it to Billy. “Where you are going in such a hurry?”

“My grandmother’s house.” Billy mutters negligently while he writes, before slapping a hand over his mouth. He isn’t supposed to tell anyone that. Is that a rule? He feels like it should have been a rule.

His reaction stirs up suspicion. “Who is your grandmother?” The stranger asks. “I am staying near here…maybe I know her.”

“You don’t know her…she’s no one…she’s a recluse…” He stutters, as he writes even faster, avoiding the prying eyes of stranger. His story can easily fall apart with just one misplaced word. And he isn’t sure how humans align themselves in the great conflict. There was so little written about them.

“Ah okay…”

“Here!” Billy quickly finishes, pushing the quill and parchment into the stranger’s arms. It is rude, but who would blame him. It is an intense situation. “Goodbye!” He nervously turns to leave.

“Wait up!” The stranger shouts.

Billy freezes, tensing up. “What?”

“I can’t read this…what language is this anyway?”

“Damn…” Billy curses. Of course, they’d write differently in the Forest. He isn’t that lucky. It seems nothing will work out as simply as he would like. “I’ll dictate it you and you can write it down yourself …”

“Okay…” The stranger pouts, releasing a low whine. Very much like the kind dogs do when they want your sympathy. It is odd, but cute. “But...”

“But?”

“What’s an Elysian flower?”

Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy. Billy sighs, slapping his palm against his forehead, before facing the human. To protect his cover, he must go off the path with a stranger. Mother forgive me, He thinks, and grandmother can wait just a little longer. Goddess of love. Won’t you protect me?

“There is a field of flowers just over yonder, while you search for the Elysian flowers, tell me the healing process again, and I’ll be sure to write it down,” The man said, a smile coming to his lips. Though his close mouth smile was innocent enough, the intense look in his eyes worried Billy. Made him feel uncomfortable. like his is being examined far too closely. But he doesn’t mention, that would too rude, cultural differences and all that jazz. “And take your time…why not take some flowers for your grandma.”

Billy swallows hard, as the human walks beside him. It is like fate was giving him an excuse to break another rule. He must take a flower, or it will look suspicious. He’ll leave it at grandmother’s if he chickens out, but if he doesn’t, Kendall that alchemist sure could use it. She’s also the secretive type, his mother would never know.

Having made up his mind, Billy relaxed. He pushed the anxious thoughts out of his mind. “What’s your name?” He asked.

“Jason…” The stranger answered, voice deepening in the slightest. “You can call me Jason…”

“Hello Jason…”

Jason must have a cold, because he had to clear his throat for the third or fourth time. His eyes are glazed over, and his muscles are tenses in weird intervals. And it may have been the trick of the sunlight, but Billy sees him hide his trembling hands in his pocket. What is the matter with him? “What’s your name?” He asks.

“Billy, well actual it is William, but Billy is the diminutive version of William, it’s catchier and less formal, and a bit less snobby. But it makes me sound like kid…and I’m not a kid. But everyone has gotten too use to it to call me anything else. You can call me Billy.”

“That is the longest name I’ve ever heard.”

Billy laughs at Jason’s joke, his voice echoing in the slightest. Jason swiftly looks away, obscuring his face from Billy. This 'Jason' is an odd one. Good thing I’m odd too, Billy thinks.

Billy chalks it up to Jason’s behavior to nervousness or poor manners but in reality, Jason was hiding the redness of his eyes. A clear sign of his bloodlust, which has become unbearable in Billy’s presence. He must gnaw on his inner cheek and sink his fingers into his thigh to remain fully human and not Wolf out. Oh God, it’s the hardest thing he’s ever done. Either the yearning inside tears him apart or he kills the Witch by the end of the day.

And he doesn’t want to hurt him. Billy was just delightful. He never wants to make his Witch feel anything but joy and pleasure. He’d stand by his word, even if it kills him. And it sure feels like it will.


	7. Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad Wolf 2

The night before Jason was at a lost for how to approach the Witch. Once the Witch sees his wolf form, he would run for the hills. Taking this into account, He decided to approach him as a man, well man-like, even in his other form there were still ways of detecting that he was a Werewolf. And anything that triggered his emotions, like being in the Witch’s presence surely did, would cause him to shift right then and there. So, he’d still have to be on his guard.

That would be phase one of his plans, the next phase will be coming up with a scheme to get the Witch to talk to him. He’d need to create a natural conversation starter, maybe he’d pretend to be a traveling merchant or census taker. What was the name of those madmen who went around peddling their religion? No that would be too annoying. He would really like an opportunity to endear himself to the Witch. What could make his Witch stop and take notice? He asked himself.

Jason was pulled out of his mind when Zack bursts through the door of his cottage. He staggered side to side. His skin that was normally green tinged from his half orc heritage, had taken on a grey shading. “Jason, you’re…here…” He slurred, giving his friend a droopy smile. “That’s good…because I need you. Buddy I’m in a bad way…”

The Wolf shook his head in disappointment, he’d hoped his friend would have been sober enough to comfort him through his suspension from the Pack. What he wanted was for someone to be completely on his side for one. But seeing Zack collapsed onto the cushion next to him, black veins running down his face to his neck, he made worry. “Zack what happened? What’s wrong? What did you do?” He fretted.

“I don’t know man…I think those satyrs gave me wine that was made from blighted fruit...” He said, itching the spot where the black veins were slowly creeping down neck to the rest of his body. “Fucking Satyrs man...they’re on another level…”

Jason sighed, and swat him on his shoulders. “You know you shouldn’t party with them man...last time didn’t they give you magic mushrooms that fucked you up for days…”

Zack chuckled, “I thought my skin had been stolen…” He opened his sleepy eyes, examining the extent of the condition. It was worsening. His blood was probably being poisoned. He’d go feral. And if it got worse, he’d probably lose his eyesight and his limbs will start to rot. “I’m fucked, aren’t I?”

“No, you know I wouldn’t let that happen…” Jason said, sure of himself, and a lot surer of Zack’s resilience. He looked him in the eyes, trying to reassure him. “And from what I learned from the healer monks, the effects of the blight only get dangerous if you make a habit of ingesting it, but since this is your first time, I’m sure all you need is a cleanse….”

“I’m one lucky son of a bitch…they’ll just give me something to vomit…”

An idea came to Jason in that very instant! It was just watch he needed. “Does it hurt?” He asked Zack, tracing the black protruding veins.

“Not really…” Zack said, sounding exhausted. “It feels like falling asleep…except I’m not sure if I’ll ever wake up…”

“Then maybe you can wait until morning before we get help?” Jason was right to feel sheepish, he was asking his best friend to put off getting a cure, for entirely selfish reasons. If his longing for the Witch wasn’t killing him, he wouldn’t even consider it.

Zack’s eyebrow rose, he looked suspiciously at Jason. “What are you thinking Scott?”

“Just trust me…I think I may know a healer…a lot better than ours…”

If Zack wasn’t feeling half dead, he would have questioned the smug grin on Jason’s face and protested having to wait for morning to get medical attention. But he knew his best friend had his back and wouldn’t let him die, at least not without a good reason. “Fine, I’ll wait until morning.”

How do you catch a Witch? Appeal to their sensibilities. This Witch in particular, had a weakness for injured animals. With any luck, his weakness extended to all Beasts. He’d tell him about his injured friend, he’d lure him back to Zack’s cabin in the Woodlands, and he could capture him, and interrogate him, gently of course and then maybe find out the source of his obsession with him and how to stop it. But instead of all that, they’re wondering through a field of flowers, looking for some special flower.

And he didn’t hate it. He is enjoying himself. The weather in the forest is especially splendid today, the sun was blessing everything with its warmth and all manner of birds and small creatures frolicked about the green fields; running scared when Jason came traipsing in (prey knew a predator when they saw one).

He follows behind Billy The Witch, as he picks flowers. Whenever he picks one, he fancied he saw an even rarer or pretty one. They’ve been at it for an hour. Jason listening intently, scribbling down all his important instructions, which proves difficult because he talks a lot about everything, and made it all sound mundane, as if Jason should know all of this by now. Luckily, he loves the sound of his voice, it was no less melodic than the twittering birds.

All this talk of flowers, and healing potions must have been common knowledge for Witches. But Wolves had a distain for such craft and used magic as little as possible, preferring to acquire magical artifacts, instead of practicing magic themselves. “You’ve got to know Elysian flowers, they are these white flowers with red lines down the middle, of their floppy wrinkled petals, have course you have, haven’t you?” Billy asks, looking back at Jason.

Jason shakes his head, and smiles, a closed mouth smile. “I’ve never payed much attention to flora…”

“That’s crazy! they’re so useful…”

“Not to me. They’re just pretty things. I have no need for pretty things…”

Billy looked absolutely offended. He’d apparently ever heard anything more preposterous. “Everyone finds use for flowers and herbs…what do you do for a living?” He asked.

“A huntsman…” Jason answers coolly; glad he’d developed a backstory for his persona. “I hunt and sell meats…”

Him being a huntsman makes sense to Billy, he wore a pants of leather and had a coat of animal fur. “Ah, that really doesn’t give you a lot of need for flowers….”

“See…”

“But!” Billy interjects, grinning from ear to ear, “Certain flowers are good for preserving meat, making it last a little longer. And of course, they’re used for seasoning meat…you do season meat don’t you?”

“You got me! I don’t make my own preservatives and seasons. I just buy them from the apothecary.” He’s lying, Wolves liked their meat fresh and raw, and wouldn’t think to taint the taste of blood by cooking it and adding herbal seasonings.

“Ha. See even you could find some use for flowers…it’ll save you money!”

“You’re right…” His grin of triumph makes Jason’s heart gallop. He clenches his first and bites the inside of his jaw to keep himself from sprouting a tail and wagging it excitedly. Having so little control over his body was embarrassing. He hasn’t felt his way since he was a cub.

“I found them!” Billy cries out, bending over a patch of the flowers that he just had described. He plucks them up, one by one, until his hand is full of a lovely bouquet. He places a couple in his basket with the rest of the flowers he’s collected, but he pushes the bouquet of nine in Jason’s face. “Smell!”

Jason does as he is told, sniffs the bouquet, and it’s sweet, refreshing but unremarkable. What does garner his attention is a scent more irresistible than any flower, the scent of virginal flesh, Billy’s wrist, presses closer to Jason’s face. He sniffs eagerly, like any Wolf would, savoring the scent. When he feels Billy’s hand trembling, he pulls away. “Lovely…” He says, startled by the deepness of his voice.

Billy’s eyes widen in shock, and Jason assumes his voice had given him away. “What a big nose you have…” Billy says, not rudely as a comment like that would sound, but with wonder. “Did it grow just now?”

Jason slapped a hand over his face, he could feel his snout shifting in his palm, he was about to partially wolf-out. “It must be swelling; I must be having an allergic reaction…”

“Oh dear,” Billy, reaches out to him. “Can I help?” He’s even more worried when Jason backs away from him.

“A next time!” Jason’s shouts are muffled behind his hand. “I should be getting these to my friend, before he’s any worse off…and shouldn’t you be getting to your grandmother’s…”

“I’d forgotten all about grandmother!” Billy says, guiltily gazing down at the basket filled with flowers he shouldn’t be taking. Breaking a rule is one thing, forgetting about his mission entirely is unforgivable. He turns to leave, “Goodbye Jason The Huntsman, take good care of your friend!”

“Goodbye Billy, have fun visiting your grandmother!” He shouts back, waving at him, with bouquet of flowers.

And Jason waits and watches as Billy is halfway across the field of flowers before he runs into the nearest brush, shifts into his Wolf form and races off to Zack’s cabin make him a cure and tell him of the good news. He has made friends with a Witch of all people and even had a good time hanging out with him.


	8. Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad Wolf 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Decision.

When Billy makes it to his grandmother’s cottage, he’s hyperventilating and sweating, both from the exhausting run and from the guilt that is ravaging him after he examined the situation, he was just in. “Billy is that you?” His grandmother’s trembling voice carried in from her bedroom.

“Yes! Give me a minute!” He says, before quickly hiding the flowers in a vase in the kitchen. They need the water to stay fresh and potent and he needs them not to be seen by grandmother.

Not a second more after doing this did, he bursts through her room door. “Sorry I’m so late…I was on my way and…and…and….” He found himself stuttering, unable to admit what he has done, broken several of his mother’s rules before the day had even ended.

“Breath dear…” She says, beckoning him over to her, patting a spot on the bed. “You’re not late…” The serum was working. His grandmother was awake and sitting up in bed, she looked much better, still fragile and trembling, but awake and alert. A big improvement.

“Do you need anything? I could make you some breakfast?” He asks quickly, guilt still weighing on him. “Or tea?”

“There is still a big roast in the pantry, I think we should finish that first, don’t you think?” She says, cupping his face, tender and gentle. “But I wouldn’t mind some tea…”

“I’ll get-

“A little later Billy…”

“What do you want me to do?” He asks, he needed to be doing something, or he feels useless and well guilty. “After administering the serum…”

She could see right through him, and unlike his mother, she was Witch capable of premonition. She suppresses a painful chuckle, with develops into a rough cough. “Go to my writing desk, get some parchment and a quill, and begin drawing a letter to be send by bird…”

“To who?” Billy scampers to the writing desk by the window, just grateful to be of service again. Everything is neat and easy to find since he cleaned up the place. He opens the windows up, and parts to curtain to let more light and fresh air into the room.

“My old friend Zordon…”

“Zordon?” Billy asks in astonishment. “The Great Wizard Zordon? He’s your old friend!!!”

“Yes,” She nods her head, settling back in bed. “We were in the war together.”

“Dang grandma you’re really old…”

She couldn’t keep this laugh contained, it come out hoarse but jovial. “You have no idea…”

“What do you want it to say?” Billy was so eager to be writing a letter to one of his idols; his inspiration, his heroes.

The elder witch clears her throat. “Use as much flourish as you want child, but be sure to tell him in a few days, after the full dosage of the serum is completely, I will be taking a trip to his sanctuary in the mines…I have grave news I must share in person…” The prophetic dreams she had received the day before were disturbing.

Billy’s hands paused above the parchment, he turned right back around to look at his grandmother like she’s lost her mind. “But Grandmother, you can’t leave Angel Grove, The Forest or The Township, if the Wolves know you’re gone, they’ll run amok…destroying our fields and attacking everyone…”

She kisses her teeth and shake her head, “The Wolves aren’t savages, though they benefit from people thinking they are, they have rules and regulations like the rest of us.”

“But Gran-

“And besides, I won’t be leaving our stronghold unattended, I sent in for a stand-in days ago, to watch the places and keep up appearances while I’m gone…one of the best young Witches of this age…”

Billy smiles, wiping his broad. Phew. Grandmother was eccentric from time to time, but she wasn’t a mad woman. She knows well to take precautions before even thinking of anything so dangerous. “Who is it?” Billy asks.

“You silly Billy,” She answers with a soft yawn. She already asleep before he could protest.

“WHAT???” Billy’s eyes couldn’t have bulged further out of his head. He’s only been in the forest for three days, and his grandmother is already planning for him to take over for her. It’s temporary of course, but still, it’s bewildering.

After delivering the basket of flowers to a very happy Kendall and receiving a fat sack of silver as payment, Billy goes straight home, happy that those flowers were going to help a lot of people. He wasn’t ashamed of what he did, and he’d do it again come morning.

He comes home to his mother eating dinner with Tommy, they were talking about the Lamia Witch in the basement until he walks in and they become silent and too friendly. They have shared his food and invited him to sit, but he excuses himself, saying he had to send an urgent letter for his grandmother. It was the truth, so it come out smoothly.

Billy sent the letter to Zordon the family’s carrier crow when he gets to his room, but he kept another letter close to himself, it’s the letter his grandmother wrote to his mother requesting that Billy temporarily fills in for her, as her apprentice, while she visits Zordon to relay her premonition. He had to beg his grandmother to sign the letter, since Billy was an adult now, she didn’t think it necessary to write such a letter when he could just stand up to his mother on his own terms and declare what he will do. He wasn’t quite ready for that yet.

He’s only able to sleep that night because his mind kept wondering back to Jason, and the lovely time they had wandering through the fields. He only hoped they would meet again. Being around Jason made him tingly, like when magic entered him through the soil. It can feel overwhelming but ultimately, it made him feel powerful and free.

This encounter was ushering a new era in Billy’s life, an era that welcomed change, growth and the risk that came alone with that.

*

A few leagues deep into The Forest, Jason followed Billy’s instructions and attended to Zack diligently. He made him eat the paste, drink the tea and bath in the brew. Zack was reluctant at first, doubting the power of measly flowers, but eventually gave in when given no options. And of course, Billy’s potion worked, and by the end of the night, Zack was awake and happily eating another slice of elysian-paste on toast and chugging down another round of sweet elysian tea.

“Dude…what did you do to me…I feel better than ever.” Zack stretched, patting his expanded gut. “And I didn’t even have even have to vomit.”

“You still have another two days of tea-drinking, paste eating, and bathing before you’ve gotten the blight completely out your system,” Jason warned, flopping onto his cot. He was tired from playing nursemaid all day but was happy to see his friend back to being himself.

“Fine, _mom,_” Zack released a loud belched, causing the Wolf to laugh, and cover his snout. The jokester lived to make others laugh and be merry, even if he just narrowly escaped tragedy. “Now who is this healer that’s better than all the monks? What’s his name?” Zack didn’t even hide his wide grin. He had an idea of what’s going on.

“Billy,” Jason sighed, glad his blush couldn’t be seen in his Wolf form.

“When didya meet him?” Zack’s voice was an amusing sing-song tone. He was going to draw this out longer than it should be.

“Two days ago.”

“Oh…so it hasn’t been that long. Explains why I’m just finding out.”

“You’ve been busy…I’ve been busy…there wasn’t any time to catch up.”

“Excuses,” Zack muttered. “So, you’re not giving me any more details…how the sex?” He smirked, showing his miniature tusks. Jason couldn’t blame Zack for leaping to conclusions, neither of them has ever had a serious relationship, just plenty of rutting, mounting, and romping with strangers they hardly cared about.

Jason can only roll his eyes. “There isn’t anything to talk about…we’ve not like that…we’re just friends…maybe…” They had one chat. He doubts Billy would consider them friends if he knew who he was.

“He’s a tease huh? Take your time, he’ll fall for you soon, and if you need help, your wingman is here.” He beat his chest.

“I’ve never needed your help with getting laid, Zack.”

“Whatever you say to get to sleep at night Scott!”

Jason chuckled quietly into his paw. This was nice. It wasn’t as big and rowdy as his pack, but he couldn’t bear being alone. A rare silence passed between the two friends as he considered sharing more with Zack.

“Zack…you’re half-human right?” Jason asks cautiously. The question was rhetorical, a springboard for what he really wanted to ask. He knew Zack’s Orc father had abandoned him to be raised by the Wolves years ago and he wasn’t allowed to live in the same Township with his mother was he was considered a Beast. But he could visit (though he was watched because of his allegiances) and sending letters and gifts were permitted.

Zack narrowed his eyes. “Yes, you know this.”

“So, you have no problem with various members of the factions…meeting…”Jason’s hesitation was evident. He was worried about Zack’s answer. He needed someone on his side that was willing to listen to him.

The half-orc scoffed; the playfulness was wiped from his face and voice. “I’m too well-traveled to let something as silly as arbitrary faction lines determine who I associate with. And I don’t mean to impose my views on you Wolves, even though I’m damn right…and you know it! But whether you’re a descendant of skinfolk or furfolk or hybrid…when real danger arises our petty quarrels will mean nothing, and we’ll have to work together or become extinct.”

“You’re not allowed to be this insightful,” Jason said with a smile.

Zack chuckled, and return to drinking his tea. It was best that people underestimated his intellectual capacity, so when important moments arose, he could step up and blow them all away. Zack Taylor, triple threat: brawn, beauty, and brains.

Jason thought of all the disease and famine both of their Factions were enduring, and how much they could help each other. The Beasts could use Witches' knowledge and magic, and The Witches would use the Beasts resources and brute strength. Uniting worked before when came time to defeat the Gold Witch, and it can be done again. Maybe is budding friendship with Billy could be the catalyst for ending the Witch/Wolf Feud. And maybe, just maybe, when he takes over as Alpha, he could begin to make some real changes to pack ideology. Not that he’ll ever get to be Alpha if he doesn’t kill his first Witch, first of many. It’s insidious how one must become immersed in a system, to change it. Maybe he’ll wonder upon an evil Witch who’s nothing like Billy.

“So, it’s completely fine that Billy’s a Witch?” Jason muttered to himself. At hearing this, tea lodged itself inside Zack’s windpipe, choking him. He hacked and hacked until his airways were open.

“Billy’s a WHAT???” Zack screamed.

“YOU SAID YOU DIDN’T CARE!” Jason barked back defensively.

“I DON’T!” Zack asserted; he points to the Wolf Faction insignia on Jason’s amour that was resting in the corner of the Cabin. “But your dad and pack will, they’ll kill him and maul you!”

“I know okay!” Jason grumbled.

Zack scooted over, patting his friend gently on his head. “Whatever decision you make I’ll support you, but you know a Wolf won’t last long in the world without membership to a pack…”

Jason lowered his hand, letting himself to be comforted. Usually, it was his mother or sister who would do this, but he wasn’t allowed anywhere near them. Was being with Billy worth a lifetime of loneliness?

He’ll never know until tries, either way, he’d have to live in regret of having decided to befriend a Witch or not.


	9. Getting to know you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy learns more about Jason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the next two chapters the writing format will be different. Finishing became difficult so someone suggested writing in this format until I've beaten writers block.

**The Forest - DAY FOUR**

On the fourth day Jason doesn’t need to hunt Billy down, he lazily follows his scent and it leads him to the field of wildflowers where they wondered the day before. There under a tall apple tree, Billy is waiting for him. And it’s like Jason is going home when he runs over to Billy – where he belongs. If he doesn’t maintain strict self-control, he’s going to sprout a tail and descend onto four legs. Usually he can stay human for as long as he liked, but around Billy it’s particularly hard, it probably had to do with Billy being a Witch and Jason’s father conditioning him to always shift as quickly as possible in the presence of a Witch, and that being the difference between Life and Death. Relax! He thinks.

_JASON:_   
_Hey!_

Jason opens his mouth but is immediately interrupted by Billy….

_BILLY:_   
_Did you know if you mix sap of the phoenix fire flower with average red peppers, you could start a fire? I mean I’ve only read it in old novels but never had access to the phoenix fire plant to try it. It could be an old wives’ tale or a fact…want to find¬−_

_JASON repeats himself, smiling:_   
_Good morning Billy!_

_BILLY, blushes:_   
_Oh, Sorry Good morning Jason._

A chuckle low escapes Jason. He is enamored by the glint in Billy’s eyes and the passion in his voice. Billy makes space for Jason, and he settles down beside him. Billy’s wearing his red hood, but it’s lowered so Jason can see his all his face, boy is he grateful for that.

_JASON:_   
_With manners out of the way, described this phoenix flower, and we’ll go find it._

Billy eagerly unrolls and holds up a detailed illustration of the fabled plant. It is a small orange flower with yellow streaks. Jason had expected to see a fantastical plant that searching for would take them on an adventure, but he instantly recognized them. He was never told their name, (Wolves didn’t care for such things), but cubs would torture each other by stuffing them up the nose of an unwitting victim. From his experience as a victim and perpetrator, it burns and only goats’ milk can ease the pain.

_JASON:_   
_I knew where these are. They grow along the vulture hill path…_

He points to a tall hill beyond the field of flowers.

_BILLY:_   
_Amazing! let’s go!_

_JASON bows to Billy:_   
_After you._

Billy runs on ahead towards and Jason follows behind. Billy is at ease and Jason imagines he can get used to running after Billy. The thrill of the chase excites the Wolf in him, catching up to him excites the man in him.

**On the Mountain−DAY FOUR**

The Phoenix fire flowers line the base of the dry dusty hill in droves, but the young men decide to climb it anyway. Why not? The weather is sunny and mild, also being around each other gives them an abundance of energy. They might as well, use it for good. The hill is tall and rocky, but Jason is very accustomed to exercise, and Billy though is not as accustomed, is driven by pure passion for the Forest he had yet to fully explore. They forged for all they needed.

_JASON:_   
_Not sure how much you need, but I got a bunch._

_BILLY:_   
_Sweet!_

Jason’s hands are full of plucked Phoenix fire flowers. He lays them on a flat rocky slab Billy is using as a table. There are hot peppers next to them, which Billy sprinkles into the bundle of flowers. The giddiness they feel at getting to light something on fire is the remnant of childhood experiments. Jason normally wouldn’t be doing this, but he is glad he is. Billy would have loved to have been doing this all along but lacked the opportunity, resource and companion. Not anymore!

_JASON:_   
_What happens next?_

_BILLY:_   
_We wait…_

_JASON, sarcastically:_   
_Riveting…_

_BILLY:_   
_So, what…how’s your friend? Is he better?_

Billy is making a valiant attempt at having a conversation. They are both leaping into this undefined relationship without knowing much about the other. It felt natural for them to be around each other, but the situation exuded awkwardness. How does one communicated that they are simultaneously drawn to each other and on edge at the same time? How do they justify their being together to themselves and to others? Did they even need to justify that?

_JASON grins:_   
_He’s much better, he isn’t fully back to being himself but he’s eating and talking about how invincible he is…and how brilliant my monk friend must be…he wants to meet you…_

_BILLY rambles:_   
_Yep, that’s me, the brilliant monk. I’m more than happy to help, whenever you…or your friends need me…I’m a monk, aren’t I? That’s what I do! Maybe we can all get together some time..._

Billy isn’t bashful. He is aware of how talented he is with potions, both memorizing the ones in ancient strolls and inventing his own but hearing it from Jason gives new life to his supposed brilliance. He wasn’t just hearing how well he did on a test or research paper; he has helped someone and is getting praise for it. Well earned praise. He could get use to this.

Jason gives Billy a knowing glance. The Witch is a terrible liar, but this rouse of monk and human is the only way of getting close to each other without having to fight. If Billy were to discover Jason was a Wolf, he wouldn’t be as relaxed around him as he was now. And oh, did he want him close to him. His rapidly beating heart said so.

The ‘glance’ turned into a full-on soul-searching gaze into the each other’s eyes. Billy sank into the deep blue sea of Jason’s eyes. He has never been to the sea. All he had to go on is illustrations in novels and paintings but looking into Jason’s eyes gave him a taste of the freedom of giving himself over to the waves of the sea. Jason on the other hand got lost in the brown thicket of Billy’s eyes. Jason knows the woods and all it’s trees like the back of his hands, but the woods locked in Billy’s eyes hold mysteries beyond his imagining. He wants to wonder aimlessly in them.

Billy was the first to break eye contact.

_BILLY:_   
_It’s not working…_

_JASON sighs dreamily:_   
_It’s working for me…_   
  
_BILLY:_   
_What?_

_JASON:_   
_I mean…that sucks! What do you want to do now?_

_BILLY, picks up a rock:_   
_I’m going to hit it._

_JASON, laughs:_   
_You’re a true visionary Billy…_

_BILLY:_   
_I like to think so!_

Billy mashes the bundle of phoenix fire flowers and red-hot peppers together with a jagged rock. It starts to turn into a lumpy red paste, and spark fire. When it gashes, Jason gasps and Billy claps. This is exactly what is supposed to happen. Just like the strolls …Except, the fire spreads.

_BILLY:_   
_Fuck!...uh...sorry! _

Jason is more shocked by Billy cursing than the fire. He’d never have thought him capable of cursing. He doesn’t have long to admire his use of foul language; Billy is currently working hard to suppress the fire by vigorously beating it with rocks. Only a true genius would think to stone a fire to extinguish it. Pressure of the hard and fast jabs triggered a build up of firepower within the mass of bundle of plants, causing it the burst. An explosion follows.

_JASON:_   
_Billy!_

A cloud of smoke emitted from the bundle. Fearing for Billy’s life, Jason rushes into the smoke and pulls Billy away from the still sizzling pile of bushes. Coughing and hacking, they run away from the smoke as fast and far as they could get to. When they were far enough, they finally could breath. Billy gasped for air desperately. Jason pats his back until he’s able to breath easier.

_JASON:_   
_Billy are you alright!_

_BILLY, throws his hands up:_   
_It worked!_

_JASON, growls:_   
_Who cares! You could have gotten hurt!_

_BILLY:_   
_That’s always a possibly…but you know what? It’s worth it! We just did something cool!_

Jason can’t win this argument, so he gives up. He shakes his head as he examines the damaged done to Billy. Every inch of his face is covered in an immense amount of black soot. Billy’s beauty tarnished and he’s just beaming with delight. He’s glad for the experience! To rectify the situation, Jason starts removing his shirt. Billy backs away slowly.

_BILLY:_   
_What are you doing?_

_JASON:_   
_I don’t suppose you have a handkerchief in that basket of yours._

_BILLY:_   
_Well no…_

_JASON:_   
_Then hold still will you…_

And Billy did hold still. He watches quite curiously as Jason removes his white shirt and stalks over to him. Billy stands perfectly still as Jason approaches him, not just because he’s growing to trust his new companion, but because he’s mesmerized by the contours of Jason’s body. Was it normally for forest people to be so chiseled? So muscular? Huntsmen sure got a lot of exercise!

A scar across Jason’s stomach, gets his attention. Scars always intrigued Billy, people who have scars have usually lived extraordinary lives and have wonderful experiences. His heart skips when Jason’s stomach rolls in the slightest when he moves, and the scar moves with his body. Oh my…

_JASON:_   
_Billy are you alright?_

_BILLY, flustered:_   
_I…I…_

Jason is incredibly close to Billy’s face, so he’s allowed to be at a loss for words. He takes his shirt, and wipes Billy’s face, first his cheeks and then everywhere else. He’s delicate, but thorough. He’s extra gentle as he wipes around Billy’s eyes. Their eyes meet, and their pulses quicken simultaneously. Don’t look away.

Next Jason traces around his Billy’s full lips. Ripe plums come to his mind, ripe plums and lecherous thoughts. Their eyes contact never breaks. And if possible, Jason leans in closer, breaching the gape between them. Circumstance had provided them with a perfect moment.

_JASON:_   
_...Can I?_

Jason bites his lip. Billy’s lip quivers. What to do. What to do.

_BILLY:_   
_Can you what?_

Jason leans in. And Billy waits for what comes with bated breath. He had an idea of what was to come, and he was thrilled.

The sound of a child screeching pierces the veil of their peaceful moment. Jason straightens upright and stiff. His face angles towards the direction of the noise. He sniffs the air. Something was amiss. He was needed elsewhere.

_JASON, gulps:_   
_I must go Billy…a minor beast is terrorizing again. A huntsman’s job is never done!_

_BILLY, pouts:_   
_Really?_

_JASON:_   
_Yes, I must. But you must go to your grandmother’s, too right?_

_BILLY:_   
_Grandmother can wait a little bit longer…_

Billy is a little ashamed of himself when he says this. His persistence makes Jason smile. He is wanted.

_JASON:_   
_But this can’t wait…_

_BILLY:_   
_Can I come? I could help!_

_JASON barked:_   
_NO!_

The staunchness of Jason’s refusal shook Billy. He looks down at his feet, avoiding eye contact with Jason. A wave of guilt washes over Jason. He doesn’t mean to be so rough with him, but Billy couldn’t possibly come with him. This was ranger business. This was Wolf business. He’ll have to transform and fight over whatever has taken that child. He grabs his shirt and tugs it over his head. When Jason turns his naked back to Billy, a split second before his shirt falls back down into place, Billy spots a tattoo etched into his back. From a distance it appears to be an animal, drawn in red ink, with some scribbles beneath. Billy made note to research its significance.

_JASON:_   
_I had a great time. We’ll see each other tomorrow…same time…same place!_

Jason’s running down the hill in a haste before Billy could stop him and ask any more questions.

_BILLY, hopeful:_   
_Promise?_

_JASON, shouting at a distance:_   
_Promise! I’ll take you somewhere you’ve never been!_

_BILLY, calls back:_   
_You better!_

It is a bittersweet moment. He watches Jason disappear down the hill. Ah. When Jason is gone Billy spends several minutes gazing at the forest from atop the hill. He wishes he could see Jason from this vantage point, but he doesn’t. As a consolation prize, he sees amazing sights. Several cottages grouped together and a few scattered. A great big lake on the other side of the forest. Acres and acres of farmland, a few were burnt, maybe accidentally or purposely to stave off the blight and keep it from spreading. There is an odd collection of caves in the mountainous area of the forest. It is as if they are hallowed out.

His eyes narrow when he sees creatures exiting the caves. They walked on all fours and were covered in a thick layer of hair. Wolves! They were unequivocally Wolves. There was no denying it. A chill ran through Billy’s spine. He now knows where the Wolves are and what they look like, and boy did the books not exaggerate. Large and fearsome.

Without much forethought he was running to grandmother’s house. How could he have forgotten about the greatest threat to his kind. What was it about Jason that made him lose all reason and throw caution to the wind? At least he now knows where to avoid.

Grandma doesn’t question Billy when he’s later than usual to administer her medicine and tend to her. She is pleased when he comes in smelling of smoke, with dust on his shirt and prickles on his pant leg It was about time he started exploring the world. Little did she know he was shaken to his core by his first ever Wolf sighting. He doesn’t make much eye contact with her out of guilt and works extra diligently. When he does open his mouth to ask her a question, she is pleasantly surprised.

_BILLY curiously:_   
_Grandmother do you know anything about tattoos, their meaning and significance?_

Grandmother lowers fork and washes her food down with a sip of the lemonade Billy had made. She gave Billy her attention.

_GRANDMOTHER:_   
_We witches use a variety of magic enhancing tattoos dear and there is also just for fashion…to show allegiance to a group…a lot of things._

_BILLY:_   
_What if I want to find out about a specific tattoo…?_

_GRANDMOTHER:_   
_You’ll have to look inside of the ancient tome on significant skin marking, sigils and tattoos on the various factions by Magister K. She’s traveled all known factions and is the most prominent source on such things, everyone else pales in comparison…_

Billy pouted and scrounged up his face. Was she being serious right now?

_BILLY:_   
_But it’s forbidden for me to read the ancient tomes! I’m not an elder yet!_

_GRANDMOTHER:_   
_That’s a pity._

Grandmother peers at Billy over the top of her glasses. She smirks and resumes eating soon after.

At that cheeky retort, a frustrated Billy walked into his grandmother’s library and began dusting the shelves. He just happens to knock over the book, “Significant skin markings, sigils and tattoos by Magister K.” And the book just happens to fall open. And the pages were so dusty that Billy had to slowly and methodically dust each page until he just happens to find what he was looking for.

Billy gasps when he reads the entry.

[Here is the sigil of the Wolf faction and their supports. Note the intricacies in the tattoos. If the tattoo is black, it means the wearer is a supporter of the Wolf faction but does not mean they are affiliated or hold any rank or power with the Wolf packs. If the tattoo is red it means the wearing is directly affiliated with the Wolf pack and aids them whenever necessary, many orcs and kitsunes would minotaur who have close relations to the Wolfs will be have these tattoos on their back or arm. If the tattoo is red with the exact words ‘Wolfs of Iron, Fur & Might. Fight. Fight. Fight!” written in Wolfish inscribed under this sigil, the wearer is without a doubt a Wolf in their docile form. And not only a Wolf but a Wolf ranger who is trained in the ways of battle and Witch hunting. If the wording varies even in the slightest, then it is not a Wolf but merely a supporter]

The book falls out of Billy’s hand, as his trembles uncontrollable. Jason The Huntsman, his new friend, who magnetically attracted to by some otherworldly force by possibly be a Wolf faction ally or a Wolf in docile form. His breath stifled on the realization. No. No. It cannot be. Jason was patient and gentle, very much unlike a Wolf. Wolves are uncapable of being so sweet and beautiful. There was an explanation for the tattoo.

_BILLY:_   
_Don’t jump to conclusion Billy!_

He didn’t know for sure. There was no guarantee. He only saw the tattoo for a split second. It could have been brown or maroon, and not red. And he didn’t see the exact words. He wasn’t even sure they were words. They could have been vines or hieroglyphics. There was still deniability! Yes, he’ll just have to see Jason again to investigate. It’s not that he can’t stay away from it. Meeting him again is necessary and unavoidable. Right? Right!

**The Lake-DAY FIVE**  
  
  
_JASON:_  
_Billy are you alright?_

_BILLY:_   
_I... I…I’m fine…_   
_Billy chokes on his words._

Jason turns his bare back to Billy as he undresses for the first time since they came to the lake. And Billy unfortunately doesn’t have the time to appreciate the enticing ripples and contours in Jason’s well-defined back. Instead his eyes go immediately to the red Wolf tattoo drawn into his back, with the Wolfish words scrawled beneath them. Billy had stayed up all night learning a single motto in Wolfish. So even with his very tired eyes he’s able to read the words, “Wolfs of Iron, Fur & Might. Fight. Fight. Fight!”

And he wishes he couldn’t. He must now face the fact that Jason was a Wolf. A Goddamn Wolf! A Wolf being a human rouse to lure Billy in to eat him!

_JASON:_   
_Are you not use to deep water?_

_BILLY, timidly:_   
_No, I guess not._

He doesn’t know how to respond. He knows not bring up the fact he is aware of Jason being a Wolf or else it would lead to a fight. A fight Billy isn’t sure he’ll win. So, Billy stays quiet about what he knows, pretends he doesn’t know about Jason’s little rouse but keeps his defenses up, waiting for a suitable time to run and tell his Grandmother of the grave mistake he made of befriend of Wolf. Maybe she’ll teach him a trick to avoid Jason from further on.

Jason enters the lake, and swims over to wear Billy floated. He took longer to change because he had not a lot more armor, padding and weapons than Billy did. Billy proposed, he would need it, if he was indeed a Witch Hunting Ranger. That must be what he runs off to do when he leaves suddenly, charging off towards screams of terror and what not. Huntsman my ass! Was his friend even ill or was that a lie too? Why didn’t Billy notice the strange signs before. What force had blinded him to all of this.

_JASON:_   
_There are all manner of strange creatures and plants in the lake. We could go on a diving expedition to find some._

_BILLY:_   
_I suppose…_

That’s weird. Billy’s monotone and disinterested voice is unsettling Jason. This isn’t the excitable and passionate boy he’d knows. A day ago, Billy would have dived into the water without much care for his own well-being. Now he is timidly inching away from Jason and shivering ever subtly. What had happened since they last met? He considered may being barking ‘No!” at Billy has poisoned their connection.

Jason floats over to him.

_JASON:_   
_Billy did I do something wrong?_

_BILLY bitterly:_   
_Did you?_

Billy was supposed to be emotionally inconspicuous, but he couldn’t hide how betrayed he feels knowing Jason had lied about who he was. Well Billy lied too but he only lied because he had to, Witches weren’t allowed in the forest. He didn’t become Jason’s friend under some rouse to hurt him, he became Jason’s friend to spend time exploring the forest with him. He didn’t have a hidden agenda!

_JASON:_   
_Since you won’t tell me, I’ll just apologize anyway. I’m sorry for whatever I did._

He grins his confident champion grin that usually gets him whatever he wants from whoever he targets. It’s this roguish grin that driven many She-Wolves to hysteria and many Wolves to their knees, figuratively and literally. And it doesn’t work on Billy. Billy’s resolve doesn’t weaken. He wants to, but he cannot bring himself to.

_BILLY:_   
_You know what you did. You know what you’re doing._

_JASON:_   
_I…I…don’t know what you’re talking about._

He gulps and he backs away. He’s terrified that Billy had figure out how he is and is reacting to that revelation.

_BILLY:_   
_What are we?_

_JASON:_   
_We’re…we’re friends Billy…_

There they are in the middle of the water, having a verbal standoff, both determined to keep their individual secrets.

_BILLY:_   
_Why are we friends, we don’t know each other, we just met!_

Billy was more frustrated than angry. He was frustrated with himself and Jason. Frustrated with their situation. Did all friendships depend so heavily on the geo-political atmosphere of the world?

_JASON:_   
_Why does that matter? We like each other don’t we. I know you feel it too._

_BILLY:_   
_You like me?_

_JASON enraged:_   
_Of course, I do!_

Jason is a lot better at being angry than Billy was. The thought of losing Billy after such a good start was pissing him off. He wasn’t about to give up like this. He watches as motormouth Billy grew timid and silent like he did when Jason shouted at him before. He glanced down at the still surface of the water, before looking up back at Jason’s determined express.

_BILLY:_   
_I like you too…_

It is said like an intimate confession. Jason smiles sweetly, closing the space in between him and Billy. He hasn’t reach out to Billy in a while, because he has noticed Billy’s slight aversion to sudden shows of affection. He ever so slowly takes Billy’s hand in his, holding them above water.

_JASON:_   
_If you like me, tell me what I did-_

In that very instant Billy was pulled under the water, dragged from out of Jason’s hand. His shrill scream echoed through the forest. He plunged deep and he plunged fast. Billy’s terrified express was the last Jason saw of him. Too sudden to defend himself.

_JASON:_   
_Billy!_

Jason sucks in a lung full of air and dived his head down under the water. Billy entangle in the tentacles grip of some giant aquatic fiend is the first thing he sees. Billy struggles to breathe and swim away, but the creature is determined to devour him. The ugly monstrous thing wakes a sleeping rage within Jason! Rangers had made it their duty to either tame or slay murderous beasts, this one had escaped such a fate but not for long. It would pay dearly for harming.

Jason quickly surfaces and swims to the shore. He grabs his magnificent claymore and dove back into the water. And like a knight racing into battle against a mighty dragon, he defies the laws of physics and expertly charges at the fiend. This is a side of Jason Billy hadn’t fully seen, the side that only those who knew him as a ranger did. He is a hero of old, the kind they sing about for ages (or at least had the makings of one).

As Jason slashes at the tentacles around Billy’s waist and neck, the creature tries to counterattack by whipping at Jason’s limbs. With clean chop after clean chop the creature’s limbs fell and floated away. It released high-pitched screeches, sending waves of ripples through the water but Jason broke through the wall waves and propelled forward.

One last chop frees Billy. He clutches onto Jason when he finally could (he was blue in the face from holding his breath so long) and let himself be pulled away. On their way to the surface, the creature makes a last attempt on Jason’s life. A thorn covered tentacle reaches out and grasps a hold of Jason’s leg, attempting to drag him back to into his green slimy embrace. The thorns dug into his skin, tearing opening a grievous wound.

The pain almost caused Jason to Wolf out (his muscles expanded to protect his vital organs and his body hair thickened). he nearly would have revealed himself, if Billy hadn’t stepped in. A brilliant piercing beam of light shoots out of Billy’s left hand, through the water and straight into the monster’s large eye. It releases an anguished wail, that had to be heard above the water and slithered back into the dark hidden depths of the lake. What a feat of extraordinary magic. Jason caught merely a glimpse of it in the corner of his eye when he looked back.  
  
  


A few kicks of their feet later, Billy and Jason stumble onto the shore, clutching each other. The two hacked up enough water to fill a shallow puddle but were recovering nicely. Their breathing labored and they are soaked but they couldn’t look any happier. They had escaped death together.

_JASON breathless:_  
_Billy are you alright? That *son of a bitch! Almost had us._  
[A particularly offensive statement coming from a Wolf]

He clutched Billy’s face in his hands, examining him with the most tender expression. Billy was certain he cared for him, because no one has ever looked at him with such Intimate tenderness. A kind of affection reserved for reuniting lovers.

_BILLY:_   
_Am I alright? What about you? Your leg!_

_JASON:_   
_It’s…nothing! I can hardly feel it._

He pulls Jason’s injured leg into his lap. It has been mangled by the beast, skin peeled off and bleeding excessively. Winces and hisses escape Jason as Billy places his palm over it. Jason can’t walk home like this; he can’t do his job with an injury this serious. He could heal him. He wants to heal him. But that would mean using protective magic on a Wolf of all creatures. If the Council of Witches find out he could be banished. It could be the end of him. And worse of all, Jason would know he was magical.

Thinking quick on his feet, Billy spots a blue poppy on the bank of the lake. He climbed to his feet and ran over to pluck it out of the muddy earth. He came back to it with it, all crushed up in his hand.

_BILLY:_   
_This is…um…um…instant healing blue poppy… if you believe hard enough, it will heal you of all injuries! Just this once. It only works once in your life. So never depend on it okay? Promise me._

He was clearly lying. He knew it and Jason knew it, but he needed this excuse. Jason nodded his head, trusting Billy enough to play into his rouse. There was a lot of rouses being played in their relationship. Their whole relationship operated on lies.

_JASON:_   
_I promise…now do it…do it now_

_BILLY:_   
_You said it didn’t hurt!_

_JASON:_   
_This is not the time Billy!_

While Jason seethes in pain, Billy wraps his blue mush covered hand over Jason’s wound and prepared to heal with his aura. The blue poppy is a slight pain reliever if you drank it for a few days, but it was useless for anything this severe and in need of instantaneous treatment.

_BILLY:_   
_Look away…you can’t witness…um...my ancient monk cures…_

He states it as if it was a question. Jason is almost amused by his horrible lying, but the pain keeps him from doing more but clenching his teeth and looking away. And much like what he did to the bluebird a couple days ago, Billy using the abundant powers of the forest, his own magical aura and Jason’s to heal his wound. A bright blue light was emitted. The pain subsided and the torn skin regrew, the leg was good as new again in a minute. A sigh of relief escapes Jason.

_BILLY:_   
_You can look…_

_JASON:_   
_Damn that flower sure is powerful…_

_Jason kindly offer’s Billy deniability. He_ wouldn’t mention any of the two acts of magic he sees today. Why ruin what they have with silly questions about identity and faction biases?

_BILLY:_   
_Yep flowers can do just about anything, sometimes, if you know the right ways to use it and stuff. You shouldn’t bother dwelling on it or telling anyone. It’s supposed to be a secret and it only happens once so don’t depend on it again ok-_

_JASON:_   
_Heard you the first time_

_BILLY breathes a sigh of relief:_   
_Good._

They reconnect when Billy sits back down, clinging to each other. A near death experience really does knock the anxiety and petty fears right out of you. They hugged, unapologetically and with passion unencumbered. Jason would have held Billy for hours if he was comfortable with that, but he knew he wouldn’t be.

_JASON murmuring:_   
_What were you saying before you…went under?_

Billy freezes. Before he almost got eaten by a lake monster he was going to stupidly and recklessly confront Jason about lying about being human, just so he could plot to kill him (Ergo breaking is heart). But seeing that Jason just rescued from a monster that was going to kill him, he suspected killing him wasn’t Jason’s agenda. And when he had confessed to liking Billy, it felt real, so damn real. So, Billy decides to pretend, to extend their relationship for just a little longer.

_BILLY:_  
_Nothing, I was just upset you ran off so suddenly yesterday…  
_  
He lied better this time.

_JASON:_   
_Oh, I didn’t mean to. I was needed. Billy I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to…because I like you._   
_That was the whole truth._

_JASON smiling goofy:_   
_What do you want to do now?_

_BILLY:_   
_While I was drowning under water, I happened to notice Gilly weed growing on the bottom of the pond, legend says if you eat enough Gilly weed, you’ll breath underwater. Let’s get some!_

_JASON shocked:_   
_After what we just went through, avoiding being eaten…you still want to go back in the water!_

_BILLY grinning:_  
_Yes of course, we were just taken off guard back then. We’re ready for anything now.  
_  
Jason shakes his head and picks up his claymore.

_JASON sighs:_   
_Lead the way Billy…_

And never had Billy been more at home in his mind and body. He belongs here, doing this, with Jason. Even if it terrified him at times. Even if Jason was his mortal enemy by right of being a Wolf.

It is unanimously decided. Billy would pretend he didn’t see or know what the tattoo on Jason’s back meant and that he didn’t see his fangs and fur in the water. And unbeknownst to him, Jason is pretending he didn’t see Billy perform three acts of magic in the last few days. It was the only way for them to stay together, to live a lie to each other and everyone else.

Everyone except the figure that had watched it all from the bushes. A ranger had been walking by when they heard the combined sound of Billy’s shrill screams and the monster’s wails. Upon investigating he happens to spot the sight of a lifetime. A Witch in the arms of the pack leader’s son.

They were certain this person with Jason is Witch, only a Witch could heal his wound so fast. Why was Jason saving the life of a Witch? Why is he wrapping his arms around its waist, instead of roughly gripping its neck in a choke hold? What in the world was going on? Billy and Jason could also use an answer to this question too.

The figure limps away from the scene of the aberration, promising to investigate further. He could smell the opportunity for revenge in the air. Jason will rue the day he crossed the bold lines in the sand! Rue the day he betrayed the Wolf Pack.


	10. Getting to know all about you

Aware of both each other’s open secrets, The Witch Billy Cranston, grandson of the great Elder Witch and The Wolf Jason Scott son of the Pack Alpha Sam Scott lived in harmony together. Their lives now revolved around the routine of spending their mornings together going on miniature adventures, Jason showing Billy parts of the Forest life and culture that Billy already seemed to know a lot about through his studies. They didn’t waste time hiding anymore, not from strangers. It became known in the minor beast community that wherever the Wolf ranger went, red riding hood would follow. They never mixed business and pleasure because they didn’t need to. Jason would always go off on missions alone and Billy never spoke of his grandmother. They would share general feelings of being constrained by their individual families and cultures, but never did they ever identify themselves as a Witch and a Wolf.

**QUARRY – The Forest**

One day Jason took Billy to a large quarry on the edge of the forest. It was deep and dusty and dead. He personally found the place to be unappealing, but Billy loved it there. The idea of a large hole in the ground there their ancestors had tossed dead bodies was interesting to him, while Jason found it morbid. It wasn’t the deadness that intrigued him, that element grossed Billy out for sure but the absolute usefulness that fossils had to the healing process. He could write a book on this, and it could be used as a textbook for Witch-lings. He took detailed notes just in case.

_BILLY:_   
_There is pixie dust inside these bones…_   
_He holds up a femur._

_JASON:_  
_How the hell can you know that?_  
He grimaces.

_BILLY:_   
_I doubt this centaur had violet blood!_

_JASON:_   
_You’re lucky you’re cute!_

Billy gets flustered and bashful when Jason says those things. He isn’t used to it and he never will be. And when he gets inexplicably irresistible, Jason often had to sink his talons into his thigh, bite his lip and walk away for fresh air, to be able to control his urges to pounce on Billy. His bloodlust hadn’t disappeared, it just evolved past the uncontrollable rage now that he could be in the presence of the target of his feelings.

**HONEYCOMB CAVES – The Forest**

_BILLY:_  
_OW!_  
  
Billy hisses, wildly flailing his hand and fingers to sooth the pain. He’d been stung by a bee that woke up early, as he tried to steal a cup of alabaster nectar. It was a special nectar made by these golden bees called baster bees with a large and formidable stinger. Billy would call them bastard bees! If he allowed himself to curse.  
  
_JASON:_  
_Hold still! You’ll wake the rest!_  
  
He tries to hold Billy in still, so he doesn’t disturb the thousands of bees around them that they had drugged and are currently robbing. Getting sting by a horde of this magnitude would kill them both.

_BILLY whines:_   
_It hurts so much!_

_JASON:_   
_I told you it was dangerous. Why do you need it anyway? You’re not old, why would you need a youth elixir._

_BILLY hisses:_   
_I promised someone I’d get it._

Fearing for their life, and getting desperate Jason tries an old trick his mother used on him whenever he got injured as a cub. He grasps Billy’s wrist and brought the hand to his mouth. Eyes widened, Billy moves to protest but Jason’s already extended his tongue and began licking long wet strips on the back of his hand. Feeling the running saliva and the soft tongue on his bare skin made Billy quiver. He’s too shocked to move.

Jason thought nothing of Billy’s reaction as he repeatedly licks Billy’s hand to sooth the blinding pain. And it works. First as a bizarre distraction from the pain itself and the next as an actual pain reliever. Wolves have subtle pain-relieving enzymes in their salvia, but Billy didn’t know this. And Jason didn’t know he had to explain.

The effectiveness of the act overcame the strangeness of it all. Soon enough Billy had closed his eyes and was whimpering at his gentle administration. At the sound of the first whimper, Jason’s tongue paused. He hadn’t expected it. To Wolves this isn’t a sexual act. And yet Billy’s fluttering eye lashes, oh shaped mouth and softest mews said otherwise.

_JASON:_  
_Feel better…?_  
  
He’s embarrassed by the deep growl in his voice. He backed slowly away from Billy as he sprouted an excited wagging tail. Billy swallowed roughly and nodded his head real slow like. Unable to speak. His hand might have been wet, but his throat was dry. When he opened his eyes, Jason was halfway out of the cave. This happened often enough that it wasn’t strange. Billy was more than grateful.

Sometimes they both need a breather.

**THE PATH - The Forest**

Walking down the path to grandmother’s house had never been dangerous for Billy, even though over the days he’s learnt almost all the forest is extremely dangerous. It is because no criminal fiend ever dares commit a crime on the main forest path. Not with every vigilant rangers around. Not with the Alpha’s son on a mission to get blooded.

But a very opportunistic flame haired troll saw a Red hooded figure bend down to greet a woodland squirrel that scurried around his legs. He had developed quite a following in the minor beasts’ community, as a kind healer of all things. This made Billy appear weak and vulnerable to the common thug – to the robber.

One second Billy was feeding breadcrumbs to the bluebirds and the next he was roughly pushed to the ground and had his basket ripped from his hands.

_BILLY:_  
_Stop Thief! Thief!_  
  
He raced after him at top speed, trying to catch up with him or at least incapacitate him but his offensive magic was unreliable at best.

_BILLY:_  
_Please give it back! There isn’t any money in there! My coins are in my pocket! Take them instead._  
  
The serum was incredibly difficult to make and made with ingredients that are very scarce in the Witch territory. And even if Billy found the ingredients in the forest, he didn’t know this receipt that his mother use. He couldn’t replicate it alone.

_BILLY:_  
_Damn! Damn! Damn!_  
  
High-pitched cackles were coming from the troll has he swung his head back around to laugh at the tired hyperventilating red hood that couldn’t catch him if he tried. What a hapless fool! How could they let their guard down in the forest of all places? Such kindness was reserved for She-beasts and younglings.

As he turned his head back around his body collided with hard surface and was knocked to the ground. The basket fell from his hand and was undamaged. Had he run into a cottage in the middle of the road? A cottage made of iron?

_TROLL:_  
_Curses! What did I h-_  
  
He looked up and saw not a cottage but a full armor-clad, claymore wielding Forest Ranger. He wasn’t in his Wolf form thank god or the troll would have pissed himself.

_TROLL sniveling:_   
_Good day Ranger sir…_

_JASON growls:_   
_What are you doing!_

_TROLL:_   
_A picnic…?_

Jason hoisted the troll off the ground by the front of his shirt, he held him in place while Billy caught up to them. Billy was panting and covered a rich sheen of sweat, especially under the hood.

_BILLY panting:_   
_Oh, thanks Jason…_

He picked up the basket off the ground and protectively clutched it to his chest. He can’t believe he let that happen. His mother would have been furious. Wait. Why was the troll even able to spot him? Did the cloak not work anymore? It had been damaged just slightly singed by the fire a while back…

_JASON donning a deeper voice:_   
_No problem citizen!_

Billy was confused for a second before he realized he and Jason had never met in this capacity before. This was the first time their two worlds were meeting like this. He’d maintain the rouse and pretend like if didn’t know him.

_TROLL:_   
_I don’t want trouble…_

_JASON:_   
_Well you have it._

_TROLL begging:_   
_Please I have a family!_

_JASON sighing:_   
_Apologize. Apologize and be on your way._

_TROLL to Jason:_   
_I’m sorry! I’ll never do it again!_

Jason rolled his eyes and pointed back towards Billy.

_JASON:_   
_Not to me you numbskull! To him! The one you stole from._

_TROLL:_  
_To him? That?  
_  
The troll looks back at Billy and burst out into another stream of cackles. He’d never seen a creature like Billy in the Forest before.

_TROLL:_   
_That thing? You can’t be serious! What is it anyway? I thought it was an elf but it’s much too hideous-_

A loud smack of iron against flesh echoed through the forest. It was a mere slap but from an amour wearing werewolf, it hurt. Jason stuck the Troll hard enough to break several teeth. He reeled from the impact and falls to the ground and when crashing to the ground. He’s wailing and bleeding.

It’s hard for Billy to witness. He backed away a little. Jason saw this repulsion to excessive violence and all the aggression in his body language melted away. This was why he didn’t want Billy to ever see him as a Ranger. He didn’t want him to be afraid of him.

But contrary to Jason’s belief Billy wasn’t afraid; actually, quite the opposite. Jason’s clenched jaw, baring his fangs; tensed muscles bulging out of his sleeves and threatening eyes enthralled Billy. He was frozen in delight.

The troll squirmed in the dirt and writhed in pain like vermin he was.

_JASON threatened:_   
_If come near him again…I’ll break you._

The Troll vigorously nodded his head and fled to the bushes within the split second of mercy offered to him.

_JASON:_   
_Are you okay Billy?_

Billy doesn’t respond at first, he’s eyes are still fixed on the wolf ears that protruded from Jason. He’d expected to be terrified at having Jason half-shift in from of him, but all he wanted to do was run his hands over his ears and drag his fingers through his thickening fur-hair. His classes hadn’t prepared him for this part of meeting a Wolf.

_BILLY swallowed hard:_   
_I’m fine, just I need a minute to…catch my breath…_

_JASON:_   
_Yeah, calm down, that must have been frightening._

_BILLY nodded:_  
_Quite frightening._  
  
His dilated eyes, sweaty palms and active salivary production had nothing to do with being robbed and everything to do with Jason’s unfettered and dominant persona introducing itself to Billy in the most daring way.  
  
_JASON:_  
_Do you want me to escort you to your destination…_

_BILLY:_  
_Yes please!_  
  
He remembered in that moment that he shouldn’t lead Jason to his Grandmother’s house. He trusted Jason, of course but he was still cautious.  
Maybe just halfway.  
  
_BILLY:_  
_I can usually walk there by myself, but I don’t mind a bit of company. Halfway, that is._

_JASON smiled:_   
_Halfway then…_

Billy returned the smile, hiding his flustered face. And side by side, The Witch and Wolf walked along side each other in the Woods. In the moment they weren’t aware that they were doing anything revolutionary or groundbreaking, just what comes naturally. In the coming months they will feel the true weight of what they have done. A Witch and a Wolf haven’t walked side by side in over a thousand years.

  
  


** RUINS – The Forest**  
  
In their exploration of the forest Jason takes Billy into the ruins of an old magical ritual site. It isn’t the most romantic place. It is quite spooky and dusty (all Wolf cubs are afraid of the urban legends that surround the ruins as a place where Witches sacrificed Wolves in the great wars) but he was running out of places to take Billy where there wouldn’t be a lot of Wolves to recognize his scent and chase after him. After Billy drew pictures of the ancient runes carved around the ruins, he suggested they have a picnic that he’d made himself.

Jason hold up the large roasted rabbit that was just handed to him and licks his lips. His mouth watered as he inhaled the alluring scent.

_JASON:_   
_Hmm. Hmm. This is all for me?_

_BILLY smiled:_   
_Yes, it is, you mentioned it was your favorite. So, I cooked you some._

_JASON:_   
_Are you sure? We could always share.  
_   
_BILLY:_   
_I have a pheasant sandwich for myself, I don’t really like rabbit._

_JASON:_  
_Well you’re missing out!_  
  
He sunk his sharp fangs into the flesh and tore it apart. One glimpse of Billy watching him carefully made him retract his fangs somewhat and he did all he could to suppress his natural ferocity. Until the taste of rich blood hit his tongue. So much blood. This rabbit was raw. Not just medium rare but raw. It hadn’t been cooked, it had been skinned and glazed by the fire to make it appear cooked, but it was raw on the inside. And it was delicious, Jason gave himself over to the hunger, quickly and enthusiastically wolfing down the rabbit meat. He ate like he did around his family.

It didn’t occur to him how feral he might have looked until he felt blood dripping from his lips and chin. When Billy’s eyes met his he expected to see abject horror but instead he instead he saw intrigue and possibly delight.

_BILLY grinning:_   
_You like it that much huh?_

_JASON nodded slowly:_   
_Hmm. Hmm._

_BILLY:_   
_I’ll make more next time._

A light bulb went off in Jason’s head. Billy knew he was a Wolf. There was no way Billy would feed a human practically raw meat and expect them to enjoy it. Witches, and those of men, not beasts, enjoy cooked meat and cannot make a habit of eating raw food without facing dire consequences in the long run. So, the only explanation was that Billy knew Jason was a Wolf and didn’t much mind. Jason wasn’t seeking out a confirmation of this, but it made him warm all over to think Billy was not only accepting but was willing to cater to the Wolf that he was.

Jason’s eyes met Billy’s as he licked himself clean of blood.   
  
_JASON mid lick:_  
_Thank you…_

Billy’s eyes casted to the ground.  
  
_BILLY:_  
_It’s just food._

_JASON:_  
_That you took the time to make. How can I make it up to you?_  
  
That a ‘Witch’ took the time to make him food. It meant more to him than the average meal, because of the person making it, not the ingredients or method.

_BILLY thinking:_   
_Take me somewhere special…_   
  
_JASON:_   
_I’ll try._

**CASTLE –The Forest**  
  
Wolves had no need for castles. This castle was built by Witches and inhabited by The Gold Witch during her reign. If the wolves had the might, they would have torn it down, but it was reinforced by ancient magic. The level of magical energy in the castle made Billy’s stomach turn and his legs buckle. The amount of magic was challenging but the_ type_ of made Billy want to throw up. Gold magic had that effect on Witches, it either makes them physically sick or mesmerizes them. Billy was the latter. It had a massive library of ancient dusty books, scrolls and tomes that Billy was seeing for the first time. He’d risk his life to get a hold of them.

_JASON:_   
_I think we should leave Billy…_

_BILLY, throwing two more books on the pile:_   
_Just a little longer, there was more tomes I could take with me! They’re older and more impressive than my grandmother’s._

_JASON:_   
_You’ll fall out before getting all the books._

_BILLY:_  
_I’ll be fin –  
_  
Before he could finish, he stumbled and dry heaved. With quick reflexes, Jason caught him before he could fall, prompting him up.

_JASON:_  
_I’m not asking anymore; we’re going outside for a breather…_  
  
Billy finally nodded his head and let himself be led out.

When they were outside Billy gasped for breath. It was literally a breath of fresh air to a suffocating soul. Jason was much less affected by the magic. He was in the iron armor and Wolves were just too dense (in skin and mind) to be affected to it. It was in the same vein of a deaf person being unaffected by a deafening siren, while a hearing person would suffer the ear-piercing sound.

In the garden outside Billy rested his head in Jason’s lap. Intimacy was still new to them, but Billy was too weakened by magical overload to worry about the speed of their relationship. Jason ran his hand up and down Billy’s back, soothing his hypersensitive nerves.

_JASON:_   
_I don’t understand your love of old ratty books…_

_BILLY smiled:_   
_And I don’t understand why you’re always polishing your sword…_

_JASON:_   
_It’s my weapon, I protect people and defend myself with it. Why not treasure it?_

_BILLY:_   
_Then my books are my weapon, I use the knowledge in these books to protect and defend…_

_JASON:_  
_I guess we’re alike…_  
  
Billy could feel Jason’s wolfish nose sniffing his skin, and the furred hand caressing his back. When he was comfortable and relaxed, he became himself. And none of it frightened him anymore. He welcomed it.

They would make several trips to the castle to gather more books, scrolls and tomes for Billy to keep in a chest in grandmother’s backyard. He didn’t dare take them home where his mother would question them and yet he felt too guilty to take them inside grandmother’s home. He’d go back to the castle several times and didn’t mind winding up resting in Jason’s lap.  
  
  



	11. Getting to like you...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting the family.

Sitting on a shaded tree coddling a friend created the perfect atmosphere for sleep. Billy was first to fall asleep and then Jason afterwards (still pawing at Billy). Wasn’t this an unusual scene? A Wolf and a Witch sworn enemies were resting in each other’s arms. Prey and predator. Which is Which?

A snap of feet repeatedly stepping on a dried sticks and twigs alerted the keens ears of The Wolf. His ear twitched and directed towards the noise. He growled, deep and low. No one should never even think to sneak up on a sleeping Wolf. No one should ever even think to sneak up on a sleeping Wolf, guarding his mate. In this situation, Billy was Jason’s mate.

He dug his crawls into the earth, barred his teeth and hunched his back. A fire was lit under him and he was ready to pounce unto an attacker. He sniffed the air and untensed. He knew that scent. Had a familiar scent not followed the noises, he would have gently put Billy aside and prepared to viciously tear it apart.

Instead he waited. Out of the nearby woodland immerged a tall strapping green Orc. It was Zack his best friend, running into the field outside the castle. His green skin is glistening with sweet, he’s hyperventilating, and his eyes were filled with fear. “Jason!” There was urgency in his voice.

“What’s wrong!?” Jason asked, disturbing Billy, who stirred.

“Pearl was injured.” Zack answered.

Jason’s eyes widened in fear. He was climbing to his feet and tugging Billy with him before he realized it. He charged towards Zack, ready to kill whoever had hurt his precious little sister. “How? Who dear touch her!”

“No one,” He said, leading Jason through the thicket. “She was injured while hunting alone.”

“Who let hunt alone? We’re Wolves! We don’t hunt alone!” He was pissed, he’d taught pearl to do better.

“Since your father sent you out of the pack, she’s been rebelling by going off every now and then. Your dad thought she was just sulking, but she was practicing hunting alone and looking for you,” Zack said. He didn’t mean to place blame on Jason but that’s how Jason would take it. The youngest were the responsibility of the oldest.

“Damn it!” He cursed, Billy was half awake, and growing more alert. “Did you call the healer monk?”

“He is out of the area and I doubt there is much that hack could do...”

“Did you tell my dad.”

“No.”

Jason widened his eyes. “Why the hell not!”

“Because I think your Witch friend could help way better.”  
“But…” He watched Billy’s keen face.

“This is pearl.” Zack was as adamant as if she was his sister too. He wasn’t going to let Jason get away with letting Pearl stay hurt to protect his relationship with the Witch. If they Witch wouldn’t do this. They wouldn’t be worth it.

“Okay, I’ll ask,” Jason looked to Billy who had looked between him, and Zack with quiet curiousness. He’d never seen an Orc before, only depictions of them in books, paintings and in scrolls. Those works didn’t capture the essence of the being an Orc. Zack was the most beautiful person he’d seen.

“Ask me?” Billy wondered aloud, inserting himself into their conversation.

“Billy, someone is injured, can you heal them and heal them fast?” The desperation in Billy’s eyes told him Jason could need more than a salved for a wound or an herbal remedy for blight poisoning. He was asking Billy to use his magic.

His answer didn’t require any further thought. “For you, Yes.”

Billy climbed on Zack’s back and he ran behind Jason, who had Wolf-out (without Billy seeing) and raced on ahead. When they arrived at the spot there was a huge pile of leaves surrounding a body, and the carcass of a dead Elk a few feet away from the body. The Elk had its neck tore open and was lying in a pool of its own blood. It was gruesome.

Hesitant, Billy froze in the same spot, but not for long. Zack wouldn’t let Billy waste precious time, he dragged him over to the body. He reached just in time to see Jason raising up from the body, his mouth covered in blood. His eyes were bloodshot, and though he was in his man-form, he looked feral.  
He must have shifted before they arrived and had been doing the entirely normal act of licking a wound to health. Ashamed of how he appeared, he glanced away from Billy, and directed him down to the injured person. A gasp escaped Billy when he saw his patient to be was a Wolf. A real up-close Wolf, with big blue-eyed that were half lidded, Blonde fur that was matted with dirt and blood. It was smaller than what he’d expected Wolves to be, it was still bigger than him but small for a Wolf. The gaping wound across it’s back swallowed it up – leaking blood.

Whimpers escaped the Wolf, pitiful pained whimpers. They were young sounding, and it had obliterated any misgiving Billy would ever have about helping a Wolf. He restrained his reaction and turned to Jason. “How old is it?”

“She is ten,” Jason growled, laying his head at her head. “Why is that important!” There was understandable aggression in his voice.

“It’s not,” Billy said, kneeling next to the body. “I’ll get to work.” He laid his hand on her fur, she was vibrating – her healing factor working overtime (and futilely). The skin underneath was hot, she had a scolding fever. Life was draining from her body as quickly as blood drained from the wound. He had to act now.

Taking a deep breath, he closed in his eyes and began praying to the Goddess of love and life. It was a ritualistic prayer; in ancient Witch tongues he’d spent his life memorizing. As a Witch of healing he needed nothing more to heal than his words, the earth and surrounding nature to heal her.

The healing process was occurring quicker and more complete than it usually is for a wound this severe. Healing in the forest was always remarkably effective when compared to healing anywhere else but Billy suspected it was there a hidden force at play too. The residual power-overflow at the castle came to mind. He also considered the power surging through him from other living things nearby, namely Jason and Zack.

Soon muscles and ligaments starts to join, repairing each other. Then layers of cells and tissues covered the wound, and lastly the tore skin healed itself, sewing itself back together, fiber by fiber. The young Wolf convulsed, a tremor running through their body. Half-lidded eyes snapped open, and only instantly she released a series of rough coughs.

“Pearl!” Jason called out to her, pulling her into his arms. He laid her head against his chest and petted her furred back. There was no denying Jason’s connection to this Wolf, there was no denying Jason’s affiliation with the Wolves, and there was no idea Jason himself was a Wolf.

When her coughing fit came to an end, she nuzzled her nose into Jason’s clothing and shifted. Within the span of a few second, the Wolf body became that of a little girl. Blonde fur became pink flesh, her hair receded to her head and of course she shrunk in size. “Jason…” she called out, wrapping her arm around his neck. She sounded hoarse. “I missed you.”

“What were you thinking? Hunting alone!” He berated her, finally able to express his grief.

“I don’t want to hunt with dad…” She bemoaned, “Not after what he did to you.”

“No matter what dad said, I should have visited you!”

Seeing Jason beat himself up, Zack interjected. “You could have asked me to come along.”

She pouted. “I thought I could have done it alone.”

“You don’t need to do it alone, ever,” He promised. “I’m may not be allowed home yet, but you can always depend on me.”

“Depend on us,” Zack reminded him.

She smiled when Zack scooped her up out of Jason’s hand and into his arm. She settled into the Orc’s arm. From her new height she was able to finally see Billy. “Who are you?” She asked, curiously.

“I…I…um…” Billy stuttered, finding it hard to explain himself to the Wolf, without revealing who he was. “I’m Billy.”

“He’s the one who saved your life,” Jason answered, glancing over to Billy. There was a well of admiration in his eyes and his voice. He was beyond grateful, and it didn’t need to be said.

“He’s a good friend,” Zack said, looking between the two who were staring into each other’s eyes.

“Will I see him again?” She asked.

“Maybe, but first you and I are going to talk about what you’re going to tell your parents about what happen.”

“They can’t know.”

“We’re on the same page cub.” He smiled, carrying her a little way away to give Billy and Jason time to talk.

When left alone Jason ran over to Billy and scooped him into his arms and off the ground. He squeezed Billy to his chest, burying his face into the crook of his neck. He inhaled a deep breath and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” He breathed out.

To his relief Billy returned the embrace. All the tension in his body, escaped him, along with the wariness that came from exerting some much healing power. He had brought a person back from the brink of death. He was filled with pride in himself, and a sense of fulfillment. He closed his eyes and tightened the embrace. He hasn’t held anyone this long in years.

++++

When Billy goes home that night he had to walk inside his house and face his mother knowing that he saved the life of a Wolf, their sworn enemies. And he may also be developing feelings for a Wolf – territory so unspoken that there were no established rules on the matter. There may never have been a Wolf-Witch relationship in the history of their relations.

What really twisted his stomach was how he broke every single one of her rules, he had disappointed her. He feared the minute he saw her his confession would just come spilling out of his mouth. He’d never been good at keeping secrets or any form of scheming. He’d have to bite his tongue to not confess.

As if by fate, Billy entered the house at the exact same time his mother was exiting the dungeon cellar. The doors closing were a mirror of each other, with the exception that Candace slammed her door – hard. She leaned back against the door and slid down in resigned exhaustion. She was terrified, her eyes crazed and her hands fidgeting.

That was already cause for worry, but what made Billy run to his mother’s side was the fact her blue dress was covered in blood.

“Mom!” He said, running to her side.

She jumped up to her feet, into an offensive stance, ready to fight. It was a few seconds before she recognized him and lowered her guard. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and managed a smile, but her eyes couldn’t hide the terror that was in her eyes. “Billy, how are you dear?”

“What’s happened mom?” He asked, ignoring pleasantries.

“Oh, nothing out of the normal,” She said, waving away his suspicion. “Just had to perform an emergency amputation.”

“On a Beast?”

“Yes, it’s wound is infected, and it was killing it. The big ugly beast put up a fight, even though I was saving its life.” She tried to manage a chuckle. “It comes with the job.”

“Could I ever –

Billy’s question was interrupted by a loud screech echoed out of the dungeon, shaking the house. Billy held onto the table to stay on his feet, and his mother held onto the door. He reached out to her, holding her through it. When the quake subsided Billy could feel his still trembling.

“Is that the lamia?” Billy asked.

“I’m not sure,” She lied. “We have a lot of beasts down there…”

“Mom, I’ve been learning some things from grandma,” He lied back. He’d been learning some things from the forbidden scrolls he’d been reading. “Let me help.”

“We have this under control,” She argued. “Focus on completing your tasks.”

“I only have three more days left,” He said, thinking about what he’s going to do if he can’t see Jason again. For the first time in days, he thought about his grandmother’s offer seriously.

“We when you’ve finished, I was thinking of you apprenticing for a few years with the chemist Kendall, she’s come into some supplies and could do with an assist potion maker,” She said smiling, as if this wasn’t just another way of pacifying him.

“I want to work with you!”

“And you will, when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready now!”

The door to the dungeon swung open, and the dwarf ranger stood in the doorway. “We need you!” She urged. She too was covered in blood, and there was glimmer gold liquid on her hands.

“I’m coming.”

“You better be, she’s resisting the serum…”

When Billy looked to his mother’s hands, he saw the same glimmering liquid. Gold, liquid gold. His mother and her cohorts were working with gold magic. Dangerous, risky gold magic. This was why she didn’t want him involved.

“Mom, we were talking,” Billy reminded her.

“We’ll have plenty of time to talk,” She said, pointing to the cabinets. “I’ve finished three batches of the serum; I’ll be too busy to hand them to you in the morning. And I may be taking a short trip to go gather some supplies soon…”

Billy pouted, so she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Give me three days… or possibly a week…the intel I have is a bit untrustworthy…”

“Three days…” He repeated, disgruntled and displeased.

She was through the door before she could see his face, he was deeply upset by this dismissal of him and his abilities. He wanted to shout that he had healed a Wolf of a deadly injury and his medicine had managed to cure a blighted Orc. She might not need him now, but those denizens of the Forest sure did. That was where he would be useful.

Mind made up, Billy stormed off to his room, and started packing. He took only the bare necessities (his research, the three serums, clothes and experiments) and his most valuable trinkets (the blanket his mother had knitted for him). They were packed in a blue leathered bag that had been enchanted in the city, it held a lot more than it logically could and will always weight as only three ounces. It was perfect for running away.

Lastly, he took the letter from his grandmother and placed it in his mother’s room, on top of her pillow. Guilt was unavoidable. It bit at him. He loved his mother and respected her prowess as a Witch (with knowledge beyond his understanding) but her protective nature as a mother was blinding her to his usefulness as a Witch. He wasn’t a child anymore and she couldn’t see that yet. He couldn’t stand by and watch people die while she refused to utilize him.

In the middle of night, just before morning, he left the house. On his way out of the village he left the a few scrolls of stories that he’d collected in the forest for Adam, for Tanya he left a bag of stones and jewels he’d found in the lake when he went swimming with Jason. And lastly, he left bundles of flowers, herbs and vegetation from the forest specifically for Kendall. He didn’t care to charge her this time. He just wanted to get his affairs in order.

He took a finally look at his little township, before turning his back on it and entering the Forest. This was where his new future was. He could feel it.

It was only a hop, skip and a jump to grandmother’s house. He’d gotten so used to the forest; it was a second home. After resting his lounge out in the hall, he tip-toed to Grandma’s guestroom and went to bed. With any hope he’d have time to explain his decision to her. And his cowardice of not telling his mother.

++++

Morning came, and Billy reluctantly arose. He cleaned himself up and went to prepare breakfast. Speaking to Grandmother would be a lot easier when both had a complete breakfast. He’d prepare a simple breakfast of egg, sausages, and baked bread, and carried a tray to her room. Her room had been cleaned, and her bed was made, and she was gone.

“Grandma?” He called, resting down the tray and glancing around. But she was nowhere to be seen. “Grandma, where are you?”

She had been well enough to walk around and do work of her own the last few days, but she’d only ever left her room to use the Outhouse and to take a bath. Just the other day she complained of joint pains and nausea. He hurriedly searched the premises for any sign of her, but none of the open doors gave him any relief. She was gone.

Confused and wary he collapsed onto her bed. “God what happened?” He griped, gripping the sheet of the bed. When rolling over he felt an object sticking him in his side. He stood up and reached for the sharpness. It was a blue envelope, addressed to him. “To Billy, from Grandma,” He read. He quickly opened it:

> _“Dear Billy,_   
_Thank you for your hard work my dear, you’vee cared for me well. I’m so proud of the man you’ve become. As I am fit enough now I must consult with my good friend Zordon and prevent the next Great War before it begins. I’ve left you in charge of the Witch Elder post until I’ve returned. You have access to my books, potions, and amulets of protection. Do as you see please. Your heart and mind will never lead you astray.”_

He read and reread the letter unable to come to terms with the magnitude of the words written. She had warned him, but he’d been so infatuated with his few friend and new environment that he’d never prepared himself for the weight of such a commitment. He’d been studying and channeling magic, but would it all be enough?

Wasn’t this what he longed for? More responsibility. A duty more in keeping with his studies. He was to be her apprentice anyway, to fill in for her when she passes. What’s a little trial period?

He was ready for this. He stopped fretting, took a deep breathed and thought to himself, “There is work to be done.”  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to normal format. Tense change. Again to fight against writers block.


	12. Getting to hope you like me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zack invites Jason and Billy out to a festival.

The next couple of weeks that followed were a world wind of exploring the far reaches of the forest with Jason the Wolf, with Zack the Orc occasionally tagging along. He had complete authorized access to the forest and his grandmother’s extensive archives and that of the old castle. Every second spent working and playing was euphoric and exhausting. He was glad for his respites of sleeping and eating.

On one of their explorations, Zack suggested that the two of them should come to The Beast festival later that night. Well, he didn’t suggest as much as he campaigned for them to go. Billy was thrilled to be invited, having never been among a large gathering of Beasts before. He had very anthropological curiosities he’d like to satisfy.

Seeing Billy’s obvious excitement, Zack’s persuasive energy was geared towards Jason alone, who was adamant that going to the festival was a bad idea. “It’s out of the question Zack.” He said, growing irritated. “I can’t believe you even brought it up.”

“When did you become such a killjoy?”

“When I got responsibilities.”

“Responsibility? I thought his name was Billy,” Zack smirked, and Jason growled, and pouted after a while when he realized since meeting Billy, he hadn’t been entirely himself – binge drinking, brawling, and fucking. The reckless party Wolf he’d been known to be was subdued so he doesn’t frighten Billy.

“What me?” Billy asked, pleading with him. “How am I keeping you from going?”

“It will be too dangerous for you,” He said, forcing himself to stay firm with Billy. “Wolves aren’t welcoming of outsiders.” The implications were understood by everyone. Witches weren’t welcome. Witches were explicitly forbidden. Witches would be killed on sight.

“They won’t notice me,” He lifted his magical red cloak to prove his point.

“This doesn’t work as well as you think, it smells of…blood.” Witches blood is what he intended to say.

Billy sniffed at his cloak. “I don’t smell anything.”

“My senses are keener,” Jason admitted, “Trust me.”

“Why don’t you just mask his scent?” Zack interjected. “Smothering his scent with yours should help.”

Jason shot him a glare. “That’s risky…and….”

“And?” Billy asked.

“I don’t think you’re ready for it,”

“I’m ready!”

Jason blushed, “I don’t think _we’re_ ready for it.”

Billy’s mind began to conjure up what masking this scent might look like, might feel like, and even he began to blush. He had an avid imagination and didn’t shy away from using it.

“Billy can’t you whip up some potion to conceal yourself,” Zack suggested.

He smiled, as a million ideas crossed his mind. “I’ll hit the books and find out!”

“If anyone can do it, it’s you.”

Jason narrowed his eyes at Zack, He’s suspicious of his sudden interest in Billy and his persistence. He watched him keenly and he knew Zack noticed. Wolfish aggression tactics were common to Zack, but he’s been around Wolves long enough to know when to be afraid and when he can push his luck for just longer.

“Thanks Zack, I actually have an idea…” Billy pulled out his stroll and a quill and start scribbling down his thoughts about such a potion. As he wrote, he wondered down the street ahead of the two feuding friends.

Jason yanked Zack aside by the collar of his shirt. “Why are you so hooked on this festival, you’ve been to too many to care this much...”

The aggressiveness of Jason’s action didn’t faze Zack. Zack tugged his hand off collar and smiled. “Pearl’s performing.”

Instantly Jason beamed. The festival was now a lot more appealing. He had to be there now, and not just because Billy had his scuff of his neck. He’s weak to him. But pearl still had the largest part in his heart.

**Festival**

The festival of Beasts was a feast for senses. It was set up in the middle of the stretch of road that Billy used to trot down to get to grandmother’s house. By the time Jason, Zack and Billy had arrived, the place was swarming with a menagerie of Beasts. Never had Billy seen so many kinds of Beasts (outside of his textbooks). The sides of the road were also lined with Beast merchants peddling their equally diverse wares (street food, handmade trinkets and specific odd services). They sold these wares from quickly assembled wooden stalls and huts – that were whimsically decorated to hide the fact they were all an eyesore. Billy oohed and awed at all the fascinating sights. The cacophony of sounds was insistent and loud. Still Billy Reveled in it all. He loved the sound of children playing – children crying – couples arguing – the elderly bartering and merchants calling anyone over, luring them to over to buy something or play one of their crooked games.

Jason had to pull him close whenever he wondered off. His life would be over in a second if he were to draw attention to himself. He was wearing his red riding hood, which disguised his appearance, and a strong magic musk (made of sabretooth pheromone) covered his witchy scent. No-one should be able to notice him. He isn’t invisible; Invisibility spells are unreliable and useless against BEASTs who track by scent, sound and footprints.

As Billy gazed around with wide-eyed glee, Jason looked over at him with loving eyes and a small smirk. Anyone would assume he was looking at his beloved. Even if the person in his line of vision was no one of note. The magic makes it hard for them to even focus on this cloaked person. Their very presence was blurred. All there was the vague shadow of red.

Zack yanked Jason over to a high striker strong man game, Billy ran behind them excitedly. He’d seen a thick-bodied minotaur attempt the game and failed, only to be jeered by the machine operator. Zack laughed at the minotaur’s misfortune, but Jason was still on edge, making sure to block Billy from view when they arrive.

“An Orc and a Ranger! Splendid!” The Merchant celebrated, grinning and gesturing to his machine. “Surely you can best my machine!”

“Me first!” Zack volunteered.

“Place your wager, 10 gold pieces for a chance to win 100 gold pieces!”

Billy’s eyes widened. He’s never spent that much money in one place.

“That price is ridiculous…” Jason said, with a piercing glare. Preventing price gauging is within his jurisdiction.

The merchant grinned, flashing his jagged gremlin teeth. “It is steep, but does it matter? The Orc looks unbelievably strong, my machine is no match for him!”

“You bet your ass!” Zack patted Jason’s back. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about the money, I’ll pay for the both of us!”

Jason was suspicious of the price, but he was confident in Zack’s supernatural strength and competitiveness. While he watches the merchant carefully, Billy peeked over his shoulder to get a good look at the etchings on the side of the contraption. They were inscriptions carved with liquid gold and glowed brighter the closer Zack got to the machine.

Billy gasped. “I know those symbols...”

The merchant stopped smiling and darted a look Billy’s way, but before he could process what he saw and heard, Jason stepped stood on his arches and blocked his presence from view. Intimidated, the merchant quickly looked away, forgetting anything he’d heard or seen. The forgetting was the magic resuming effect.

“He’ll never beat it.” Billy whispered next to Jason’s ear, tapping his fingers onto his shoulders to get his attention. He was sure to only speak when there was a loud enough increase in noise that it buried his voice and made the direction of it unrecognizable.

“Zack doesn’t lose,” Jason said.

“It’s enchanted.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed when he saw Zack lifted a mallet. “Magic is banded in the forest…” He mumbled over his shoulder, saying something Billy was aware of. “Damn it, I have to do something about this,” He resented having to Wolf out and menace a magic user in front of Billy.

He stepped forward, and Billy held his arm back. “I could nullify the spell.”

“You could?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen it before.”

Billy had seen this spell once in a book, he’d written a paper on the ethics of magic in the gambling industry. Declaring he could nullify the spell was admitting that he had affiliations with magic, something they’d avoided till now. He could make up another terrible lie, but he’d rather save his energy for nullifying the spell.

Giving no other viable option, Jason played along. It was either Billy uses discreet magic, or he would be duty bound to Wolf-out and arrest the merchant. After doing so there was no way he could deny being who he was, and they’d be forced to address the intensions of their relationship – and deal with the explicitly forbidden nature. No one wanted that. “Do it.” Jason ordered, under his breath.

At the lifting of the iron humungous mallet, Billy fixed his eyes on the metallic contraption and whispered, “hoc corrigere errorem…” He lifted his hand towards direction of the inscription. Billy’s eyes glowed blue and so did the gold inscription, and as if they were letter stencils, he rearranged the words telekinetically. It now read as something entirely different.

Billy giggled, and Jason smirk.

When Zack slammed the mallet down onto the padded red seat designed to be struck – it collapsed instantaneously. The second the iron mallet had collided with the machine the force of the blow decimated every bolt that had kept the piece of junk together, causing every attached drop off and crash to the ground. The merchant let out an anguished shriek as his rigged money maker was render scrap metal.

Zack looked from his hands to the machine. He was shocked at his own strength; he hadn’t meant to apply that much strength, but the merchant alluded that the machine could handle it. “My bad…”

“How is this possible!” The merchant cried.

“Pay up,” Jason demanded, “That’ll be a hundred gold coins…”

“But…but…” He stammered.

Jason stood in front of Billy and Zack, taking on the presence of a real authority figure. At the same time a ray of sunlight bounced off the shiny iron chest plate and gigantic sword. It made him appear more commanding and foreboding than before. It was as if nature had appointed him. “Are you sure you want to be in debt to a friend of a ranger…?”

Billy’s mouth hung open a little, and his eyes were filled with admiration. It was the same expression he must have had when Jason defended himself against a thieving troll. He was a hero in every way possible and Billy would have to admit that he was drawn to that side of him. He was attracted to it.

The merchant quivered in his boots, and Zack laughed. “I can collect my own debts boss man.” He walked over to the merchant, hung him up, and shook him vigorously, until a couple sacks of gold coins fell out of his pocket. He picked up a sack of gold, weighed it in his hand and said. “This seems about 100 gold coins…”

The merchant let out of a fearful squeak and Billy suppressed his laughter. He didn’t want to delight in the misfortune of others, but this merchant should have known better than to attempt magic in The Forest of all places. Yes, Billy understood the hypocrisy of thinking this. _Rip to that merchant_ but he was different.

“If I ever see you again, I’ll have to follow the law,” Jason said sternly, to the quaking merchant. He was letting him off with a warning. Wolves were strict and don’t believe in forgiveness. It was an act of kindness. An act of kindness that Billy caused just by existing and making Jason a better person - out of fear of disappointing him.

The rest of the day went off without a hitch. Zack approached every booth, playing rigged games and eating his full of every delicacy the Forest had to offer (Pixie dusted pastry, bronto burgers and his favorite krispy kremey donuts). His pouch of gold coins was hardly dented. Billy followed close behind him, hiding in his shadow and eating whatever Zack handed him secretly. Jason stood watch behind them (like a sentinel) as they did risky stupid things to win at rigged fairground games.

Seeing that Billy was going unnoticed by every Beast that passed him, Jason relaxed some and began to enjoy the festival for what it was. The weather was good, the people he cared for were happy and everyone was safe. He could breathe.  
  


**Later that day  
  
**

“The dragon borne threw me down onto the sand dune and pinned under their steel boot –

“So, you lost,” Jason interrupted.

“That’s not the point of the story!” He said, shaking his fist. Billy listened with rapt attentions.

“What is the point then?” He goaded Zack.

“The point is always that I went to a wicked cool place and met wicked cool people which usually resulted in me getting in an awesome fight! What don’t you understand man?” Zack loudly proclaimed, showing his passion.

Jason chuckled, “I can’t relate…”

“Because you’ve never left The Forest…”

“I have responsibilities…”

“You’re not the only ranger, take a break.”

“Dad would not let me; we haven’t left the Forest in years…”

As Jason’s mood lowered, Zack rested a hand on his shoulders, comforting him. “Maybe current unfortunate events are an opportunity for a little freedom before you’re bound to this place for the rest of your life.”

“An opportunity?” He snapped, baring his fangs. “I haven’t run with my pack for days.” He lowered his voice when he saw Billy looking at him with increasing curiosity. He had just committed a cardinal sin, he mentioned his Wolf background, and there was no denying that. Their eyes met. As Jason’s eyes connected with Billy’s, he said boldly, “And tonight is a full moon…I don’t want to be alone on the full moon…”

He expected Billy to drift away from him, run away even, but Billy stared back unnerved, “I’ll stay with you…”

Jason swallowed roughly, unable to respond. They just shared a moment of silence, that was strained under the weight of their subtle confession of “I know what you are, and it doesn’t scare me.” As the sound of a sweet young voice pierced their moment of silence, Jason broke eye contact looked towards the wooden stage to see Pearl. A smile took over his expression. It was clear that he was glad to see her.

Billy had recognized the she-Wolf and knew from the way Jason had begged him to save her life and the way he smiled fondly at her now that she was family. She meant a lot to him. He’d deduced that last time but now he’d received his confirmation. He too turned his gaze to the stage and became engulfed in the performance.

“That’s our girl!” Zack shouted towards her.

Her voice was melodious, innocent and supernaturally high. It was a chilling and haunting performance.

Jason didn’t cheer nor call out during the performance as many others did who recognized the Chief’s daughter but when the performance was over, he stood up and applauded the loudest. He was so brazen, at ease enough to release a wolf howl so loud that it shook the ground around him. His joy was infectious. Billy shot up from his seat in the grass and joined him in howling at Pearl for an encore. His howl was drowned out by Jason and the all the Wolves around him. They took his lead and matched Jason’s enthusiasm. He sounded like a general rallying his army.

It was intimidating.

Billy, Jason and Zack were all so caught up in the exuberant feeling that they hadn’t noticed they were being watched from a far. At a distance a troupe of Wolves had never taken their eyes off the small company of friends since they entered the fair grounds. It was doubtful, they could see Billy but anyone paying attention could notice the strange occurrence of the Chief’s son staring down a wisp of air in front of him, smiling as if someone was there. Someone precious to him.  
  
  


At the rising of the full moon Jason put an end to their day of merriment and bid Billy and Zack a good night. “Today was great.”

“Told you it would be,” Zack pulled him into a hug, squeezing him with that famous orc strength.

With a wheeze, Jason returned the hug, patting Zack on his back. “For once you’re right, I should give new things a chance.”

“New things huh?” He wiggled his eyebrow. “I thought his name was Billy.” His cheeky retort earned him an elbow in the gut. But Jason had no embarrassment to fear. The intricacy of their banter that gone over Billy’s head. That had a little to do with him playing with Pearl’s pan flute. After her performance they’d congregated in a field for a private concert and play like children do. A grown Witch, Wolf, Orc and young She-Wolf playing a game of ball and stick – hide and seek – catch me if you can….

Wolves loved to chase, whether it was a ball or a person, the chase was euphoric for them. There was not a single negative thought bounced between Jason’s ears when he was running after Billy. The only prevailing thought was the constant battle between his Id begging to be release his Wolf and his ego holding on to the best image of himself in the eyes of Billy. In the end he sided with his ego, choosing to maintain restraint.

But in doing so it meant he had to abandon Billy that night to go running with Pearl before he lost control soon. “Billy I’m heading out; Zack will take you home,” Jason said, beckoning Pearl over. Pearl took off running to his side, grinning. She too longed run with her big brother.

“I can go home myself,” Billy said, not wanting to reveal his grandmother’s home to Zack. Especially now that he was its only protection. And his grandmother had broken the treaty by abandoning her station.

“I won’t allow it,” he replied quickly. He pointed over to the trees behind then at the festival of debauchery after dark. The children had gone home, and the adults were running wild. “The streets will be filled with drunkards looking to pick a fight and bandits looking to rob a few easy targets, I can’t let that happen to you.”

I can’t let that happen to you. Ooh that give Billy chills. That mixture of worry and assertiveness was tantalizing. He acknowledged the concern in Jason’s steely eyes, complying to his order with a nod. He’d do anything Jason asked right now.

Zack broke the tension, pushing Billy ahead of him. “Enough of the chatting, full moons out and you two would want to get a move on.” His back was turned to Jason so he couldn’t see the vicious glare Jason had shot him. A hypocritical glare. It seems only he could oust his Wolfish ways. More than he himself already had.

“Bye Billy!” Pearl shouted.

“Bye Pearl,” Billy answered, looking back over Zack’s shoulder. “Stay with Jason tonight, I won’t allow him be to alone.” A brilliant smile followed his little joke.

Only a glimpse of that sweet smile was enough to rev up Jason’s heart and other internal systems. If he wasn’t ready to gallop across the fields then, he sure is now. A fire had been lit within him and only bearing his true form would cool his “heels”.

With a whoosh of the wind, he was off. Pearl trailed behind, glad to be in the company of her brother, who was the happiest she’d seen in years. They were both children again. Privileged to be happy despite the heavy weight of their inherited responsibilities.

**On the Walk to Grandmother’s house.**  
The sound of Wolves howling filled the chilly night air. The sound did not trigger fear in Billy as it once did. He’d hoped it meant Jason was having a lovely run with his sister.

“Is Jason important?” Billy said suddenly, “I mean other than being his super cool self, like is he very important…to…his people?”

“I hate to say it, because I’ve known the guy since he used to wet the bedding and chase squirrels…” He paused and chuckled to himself. “But he’s a big deal, the son and heir to the entire Forest and everyone in it. I’m surprised he didn’t get a big head, just a martyr complex….”

“That’s the responsibility he was talking about.”

“Yeah, he inherited a load.”

“Oh.”

The isolation he felt from being the grandson of the Witch Elder. People handled him with kid gloves or rejected him entirely out of jealousy. And his mother overcompensated building a cage of restriction around him to protect him from the weight of his destiny. Knowing Jason was facing similar struggles gave him some peace. The differences that arose from them being from different factions and cultures might be extensive, but they weren’t stronger than their emotional connection.

“I think you’re good for him,” Zack said, looking towards Billy. The declaration pulled Billy from his thoughts.

“Really?” He asked, perplexed his assertion. He hadn’t done anything out of his way for Jason. “You mean Jason, right? We were talking about Jason.”

“You make him take risks.”

A fire spread inside Billy, warming his face and everything else. He’d notice meeting Jason had made him more of a risk-taker too. In his bashfulness, a series of words just came rushing out of his mouth. “I’m sure he took risks before me, Jason is the kind of guy to go out on a limb to protect people, I bet he fought big scary bad guys to save damsels in distress…”

“But you make him forget everyone else, even himself,” He whistled low, and lowered his voice out of respect. "I think he’d walk through fire for you…or something crazy like that…” He laughed to lighten the mood.

It didn’t work.

The wind was knocked out of Billy. Would Jason do that for me? He asked himself internally. He was frightened that he was willing to do the same at a moment’s notice.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're just 2-3 chapters from the conclusion.


	13. Fairy Tales 1.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason and Billy go truffle hunting.

“Eureka!” Billy shouted, pumping his fist in the air. “I’ve always wanted to say that.” He said to himself, alone in the kitchen of his grandmother’s cabin, which doubled as a laboratory. He’d confirmed that there was link between the devastating blight on the Forest crops and the tragedy of the gold sickness spreading through Witches. Both diseases where made from the same kind of sinister convoluted magic.

He tested the anti-blight potion he’d given to Jason on a sample of blighted pea plants he’d found in the thicket behind Grandmother’s house. It was hardly effective, the diluted blight-based concoction Zack drank was easier to cure than an organism afflicted by concentrated blight – In a way that doesn’t damage the lifeforms. It had the appearance of a black oozing tumor that was so deeply rooted that it couldn’t be cut out with a knife.

Billy had the idea to double the ingredients and remove the water to increase potency, but he quickly noticed it was lacking a bonding agent. It had to be liquid, so the potion was inject-able or drinkable. He’d spent days consulting the ancient scrolls before he found a liquid bonding agent that wouldn’t dilute the solution. “Truffle oil!” He shouted to himself, as he tapped the fragile page. “It may be rare in town but I’m sure The Forest has plenty!”

A mad rush to get ready, and alert his friends ensued. Whenever he went hunting for Witching or cooking ingredients he never went alone – a friend was always near to watch his back or waste time frolicking. By his friends he meant Jason, Zack was away on another of his extraordinary trips and Pearl was grounded for not participating in shunning her brother. She did tell him she knew she’d be grounded but it was worth it! And she waited until after her performance to do it. She’s a smart girl, that wasn’t afraid to break the rules.

He rolled up the scroll and placed it back in its protective wooden tube, grabbed an arm full of mason jars and threw them in his basket. The last thing he needed was his cloak and he was off.

There was never any problem finding Jason. The minute Billy stepped onto the Forest path Jason could sense him from a while a way. Nearly a mile away a smile came to Jason’s face as he sniffed the air and recognized that familiar aroma. He loosened his grip on the kobold he had pinned to a tree to search for stole goods from tavern. A wrapped smoked ham was found in his satchel. He should have been issuing out the grievous punishment for thieves, but thoughts of Billy filled his mind and soul and he couldn’t be cruel knowing Billy was in the world. “I’ll let you off with a warning…”

“Thank god!” The red-scaled Kobold shouted, dropping to his knees. “I’ll never do it again ranger, I was just so hungry, everything on my father’s farm died of blight, it’s our livelihood so we can’t buy any food for the family…”

The Kobold’s pleas shot straight to his heart. It was too common and too true to ignore. Giving over to the kindness in his heart, Jason handed the wrapped ham back to the emaciated reptile boy. He needed this more than some drunk Wolves in the Tavern. “Take it but ask for help next time.”

“Thank you!” Tears filled the kobold’s eyes.

Desperate to think about anything other than the helpless feeling the tragedy of the blight made him feel – he didn’t look back. The fruitless efforts of the elders and monks pissed him off. And his kind was too busy with Witch-hunting to take care of the basic needs of the people they were determined to protect.  
  


Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and followed his heart to Billy. They met halfway to their special field of flowers. The sun was high in the sky, there was a light cool breeze and the Forest was alive in every way possible. It sounded, felt and tasted of the brilliant life teaming in it.

“Jason,” Billy said, smiling when he saw him.

“Hi,” Jason answered, smiling back. “What’s the mission for today?”

“Do you know anything about truffle hunting?” He asked. The only answer he received was Jason’s ears sprouting up above his head, tail wagging furiously and baring the whitest longest strongest fangs he’d ever seen. That’s all he needed to know. Jason loved truffle hunting. He’d done it many times before and would love to do it again.

Not only did he love truffle hunting, he knew everything about it. He knew the best places to find truffles, he bragged about having a superior truffle hunting technique and he knew just by smelling it just how much a truffle would sell for at the market. He was a truffle afficionado. A connoisseur. And Billy was more than impressed by this talent.

It was by this expertise that lead Billy to a rocky thicket, overgrown and overflowing with hidden truffles attached the roots of large and small trees. The Wolf in Jason slowly seeped out of him in the way he moved and hunted. Face pressed to the ground, ears perked, and tail hiked up – he hunted for the ugly dirty mushrooms with the exuberance and dedication of a giddy child. Or a mad prospector. A mad child prospector.

Gleeful, Billy ran behind Jason, playing his game of find and capture the truffle – stopping every now and then to study an exotic flower or odd colored beetle. The heat of the sun baked his skin, and the erratic exercise caused Billy to swelter under his red hood. He was only half an hour in their hunt before he had to remove the hood and move more freely – to keep up with his happy friend.

Weaving in between trees – climbing the tall ones – digging under rocks and losing themselves in nature.

Three hours of frolicking, playing and hunting truffle passed before Billy and Jason decide to rest. They were covered in wet and dirt, but it was worth it because Billy had filled his three large mason jars of the ugly little mushrooms. Cool rushing water from a nearby brook gave them refreshment and surrounding trees gave them refuge.

“You must really love truffle hunting,” Billy said, after they emerged from the water, dressed in only in their garments.

“Its my family’s national sport,” Jason boasted with a grin, “Well…after regular hunting.”

“I wish I did stuff like that out in the beautiful Forest,” Billy lamented. “After my dad died, I spent most of the time inside studying old dusty books…” He paused then added, “Which I loved by the way!”

“But it got lonely?”

Billy nodded.

“I was never alone as a kid…sometimes I hated that, especially during puberty,” Jason said, smiling to himself. “But when hunting was just considered a game…a competition between us cubs…and mom and dad would watch me win and training me on their downtime…it was the best thing in the world. “His smile lost its light the longer he spoke.

“What changed?” Billy asked.

“The Blight became uncontrollable...it wouldn’t burn away anymore...” Jason gritted his teeth, “Our Chief ranger had died…. killed in a battle with a Witch…so my father had to take his place.” He’d notice the guilt on Billy’s face, and powered through to tell the truth. “The Witches were getting more bold and the blight was getting more deadly, there wasn’t any time for mom and dad to spend with me or each other…I was glad when pearl was born, she was a sign they still had enough love for each other.”

“I couldn’t imagine that…my parents were in love until their very last day together….but I doubt there was a plan to give me a little sister…I wouldn’t mind if they fought more if I had a sibling like pearl…”

Jason laughed, shaking his head. “Your priorities are sounded.”

A sweet silence passed between them as Billy got distracted by the movement of a black mite crawling on the truffles. He took out his note pad and quill and started sketching the insect.

“So…what do you need truffles for?” Jason asked after he started disliking the silence. “Are you making something to eat?” He made sure not to suggest anything Witchy, like spells or hexes. But he assumed something Witchy.

That question unleashed a waterfall of a response. Billy prattled on for a while about his cool experimental serum, and the unique properties of the truffle. “I think I’m onto something – If I use the oil of the truffle to bond the ingredients together – I might be able to cure the blight in your crops and in my people.”

“How do you know you can do it?” He had a reasonable amount of doubt. The blight seemed unstoppable. And Billy and outside couldn’t possibly know more about it than him.

“While you might be the truffle hunting expert…I am the healer genius…raised to decipher ancient scrolls…combine them with new experimental knowledge and save my people. It’s my destiny!” Billy excitedly claimed.

Jason whistled low, “That’s a big job.”

“I get a lot of help,” Billy said, alluding to Jason. “Maybe I can help you with your big job too.”

“I might just let you.”

After scooting a tad closer together under large oak tree, the two tired men drifted off to sleep after chatting. The heat of the sun, and the sounds of drifting water near them lulled them into a deep sleep. Neither of them was a snorer but it would be surprising to anyone that the big bad Wolf ranger was a cuddler and the touch sensitive Witch was reluctant to be the little spoon. They were a peaceful sight to see.

Their nap was undisturbed for about half an hour. A light airy singing voice roused Billy and only Billy from their nap. Waking, he detangled himself from Jason, and was astonished to notice he wasn’t made uncomfortable by the skin on skin contact. That’s a strange feeling.

He didn’t have much time to ponder their relationship growth, the airy singing voice, even lighter than Pearl’s called out to him. It didn’t say his name, but it knew him somehow. It wasn’t clear cut but it said something along the line of, “Come here Witch boy…leave the Wolf….let him sleep and come here and see…you want to see don’t you…you love seeing new things…we’re the newest thing…”

Mesmerized, Billy was on his feet and drifting away from Jason in a matter of seconds. Even though he wanted to, he could not force himself to look back at Jason and call out for him. As if floating, he traipsed through the small river. His bare feet don’t even register the sharp rocks or slippery moss in the river. There was no resistance that could slow him down.

Billy walked deeper and deeper into the thicket. It was less rocky and woody than where they had gone truffle hunting. Rock and water were replaced by soft slick grass. The dense green wooden area led to a glade. It was beautiful, sunshine beamed down onto a giant tree with big red orbs hanging from the branches. The fog in Billy’s mind prevented him from deciphering what species of tree it was nor did he care to. The singing grew louder.

“You came…you came to us…we know you would…brilliant Witch boy…” the voice sounded plentiful, beautiful and feminine, like several young women.

The closer he got to the tree the more detail he saw. The fruit hanging from the branches hung too low and appeared to be lowering itself. They appeared to be apples, red giant apples. The voice luring Billy in made him ravenously hungry. Made him crave those apples more than any food he’d had in the past. Why was he so hungry? He hasn’t had breakfast but the hole burrowing in the pit of his stomach was not normal hunger.

“Eat won’t you…just a bite…it tastes good…it tastes like you want it to,” he heard the voices say. The fruit glowed, and so does the tree, Billy looked towards the top of the tree and saw glimpses of women or parts of women. From what little parts of the women he saw, he could determine they were “pretty”, waif thin and glowed too bright for him to focus on their faces. “If you try it…we’ll come out…we promise…”

That was something Billy wanted as much as he wanted to eat the apples. He didn’t have a choice, his body acted before he could contemplate any further. Reaching up, he grabbed onto a hanging apple with both hands and plucked it from the tree. He bit into it. Juice spill out over his hands and bare chest before he could even register its taste.

High pitched giggling filled the air

Then he tasted it. He tasted blood. Warm blood. Iron rich blood. When Billy looked down at his hands and shirt, he saw that he was covered in raw read blood. His head was light. His vision was hazy. A shrill scream ripped its way-out Billy’s throat. And like a light switch being flicked off, the light left Billy’s eyes and he collapsed to the ground.

The sound of the women giggling filled the air.  
  


Beyond the clearing, on the other side of the river Jason jolted awake.  
  
  



	14. Fairy Tales 2.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason tries to save Billy.

Awake, Jason’s senses intensified. He’s alone and that revelation caused a well of despair to form in the pit of his stomach. His skin called for Billy’s skin, cried for it. His ears searched for the sound of Billy’s beating heart, his steady breathing. A second after jolting up, Jason’s nose was pressed to the earth, sniffing for Billy’s scent.

He found it easily, sensing it when beyond the river. He put on his armor, grabbed his sword and bounded over the river in one fell swoop. There wasn’t any dramatic transformation, as he moved in the air, his body just took on the state that would be more useful to it – in a blur. Not a drop of water landed on his fur. It didn’t have a chance; he was moving too fast. All creatures and obstacles moved out of his way. The Forest was his domain. It yields to his command.

Upon arriving at the clearing, Jason stopped and sniffed frantically around the air. Billy’s familiar scent was being suppressed by the strong stench of raw blood. The blood of an animal he couldn’t identify. There must be magic afoot if his nose is rendered useless. His keen eyes were his last weapon.

A giant tree came into Jason’s line of sight. It was an average tree, so he paid no mind to it. What was under the tree was more important. An outline of a body lying lifeless in the grass was much more important to him. It was Billy. He knew it was Billy.

He was there in a single bound, hovering over Billy’s body. A howl ripped its way out of Jason’s throat. There was no heartbeat or sounds of breathing coming from Billy’s body. And he was covered in dark blood, so dark it could be black. That couldn’t be his own. It smelled nothing like his. There was no wound anywhere on his body. Oh god what has happened!

In a fit of feverish worry and confusion Jason started to lick away the blood from Billy’s body. He lapped up the blood from his chest, neck and face without any concern for himself. There was no movement from Billy. It tastes stale, and bitter. It gets blacker and more familiar smelling. Blight. It smells of blight.

He searches out the source of the blight that poisoned Billy. He sees the apples from the tree had turned black and the veins in the leaves turned black. A discarded bitten apple caught his attention. It must have rolled away. It did this to Billy! That enraged Jason. He launched himself at the tree, slashing at its trunk with his massive claws. He aggressively rakes his claws across the trunk, peeling off the bark off the tree. It was useless. Needless violence wouldn’t solve this.

“How could this happen!” He howled again, dropping himself to the ground. He crawled over to Billy and hovered over his body. “Wake up Billy! Awake up! Please get up!” He cried.

It’s futile. Billy is still warm, but his body is devoid of any other signs of life. Jason scooped him into his arms, cradling him close to his chest. He took off, out of the glade with Billy carried in his arms. He’s running with, and he’s crying. He didn’t know until he saw the tears falling onto Billy’s glowing brown skin.

He didn’t know where to take Billy. Wolf healers would realize Billy was Witch, Alert Jason’s father and his father would kill him! And banish Jason for trying to save Billy! He briefly considers bolting towards the closest Township and begging the Witches to heal Billy. But before he even sets foot in the Town’s square, he’d be blasted by fire balls and other long-range magic that he can’t defend against whilst carrying Billy. They’d probably both die before getting any help.

His eyes burn. His stomach churned. And indecision gnawed at him as he ran towards the Forest path aimlessly. Who could he go to heal? All that came to mind is Billy. Billy is the only one who has never made any head way with the blight. He’d need Billy to save Billy. How could he replicate Billy’s genius? “The Cabin!” Jason shouted to himself.

The entire reason they had been truffle hunting was because Billy was working on a Blight cure that very morning. There had to be some bit of a potion left in a vital something in his house. He knew where Billy stayed now! It was in the Elder Witch’s Cabin. He’d been staying there for quite a while. Jason watches out for the place every now and then but never asked to come inside out of fear and respect. Going into the Elder Witches Cabin was treason. Getting caught there would insight a war.

Saving Billy was worth starting a war!

In quick flashes of fur and flurry of dust he dashed to cabin. Without hesitation, he leaped over the low white picket fence and crossed into forbidden soil.

Luckily Billy was too scatterbrained this morning to lock the door. A single kick to the door was all it took for the cabin to open. The force of the kick weakened the hinges on the door – causing them to creak as it swung close. He was inside but he had committed treason to get there.

One sniff of the air and Jason was able to pinpoint where the Kitchen was. It was the first room to his left, above the door was an engraved leaf. A swift push later, and he was in. The scent of burnt spices and herbs wafted through the air, confirming he was indeed in the kitchen.

In a manic state of scanning for something, anything that looked like it would help Billy, he paid no attention to the décor of the kitchen. It was a mess. It was all wooden, ancient, lived in and filled with various glass bottles, glass vitals and crystal orbs containing colorful liquids. They littered the kitchen. There wasn’t a bit of free space anywhere. Searching for a specific potion in here would be finding a needle in a haystack.

The warming of Billy’s body was simultaneously reassuring and alarming. Dead bodies didn’t run hot. But the fever was so strong that it was making Jason sweat, it must be boiling Billy’s organs alive. Big keen eyes darting back and forth, Jason couldn’t decide what random bottle of potion he should pour down his throat - that may kill him!

Instinctively Jason pressed his nose to his neck and hair, inhaling at first to relax his mind and then to gather clues. The remnants of the last potion Billy made had to have left a residual scent on him, in his clothes and hair. Even after hours of sweaty frolicking – digging in dirt and swimming in the lake, a Wolf’s sense of smell was so powerful that they can find what they are looking for under layers of weathering.

One deep whiff and he smelt something familiar at the nape of Billy’s warm neck. Elysian Flowers. Jason remembers the scent from when he had to make the tea for Zack. He’d smelt it for days while Zack bathed it in, drank it and ate it for days on end, until he was cured of blighted fruit poisoning.

It was unmistakable.

The pot and vials on the stove were filled with a solution containing Elysian flowers. It must have been the potion Billy was working on this morning. Oh, on that small clue Jason was ready to risk it all. “Don’t worry Billy, I’ll save you, I’ll fix this,” he whispered into Billy’s hair.

He rested Billy’s lower half on the floor and held him up with one hand. With the other hand he grabbed a vial of blue liquid, he flicked off the wooden cork stopper and lifted it to Billy’s lips. Fingers trembling, he pushed open Billy’s full brown lips and teeth; he poured the elixir into his mouth.

“Drink Billy, Drink…” He begged, as the liquid slipped from his lips.

Swallowing takes active muscle contraction that the paralyzed (or unconscious) Billy couldn’t muster. Tears slipped down Jason’s cheek; he didn’t know what to do to make him drink – apart from prying open his throat. “Billy drink please!” He cried, his tears falling onto Billy like raindrops.

There he stood in a little cabin crying over the body of his unconscious love who had been poisoned by an apple. A story as old as time itself. It was a cliché.  
Mind racing in pessimistic circles, Jason did the last and only thing he could possibly do. The one thing he had wanted to do since meeting Billy. The only thing boys are taught to do in scenarios like this. He may not be the prince that they write about in the old history books and fairy tales, but Billy isn’t a fair maiden either. Nothing about them is right; but it must work. There was nothing else to do.

Inhaling, Jason leans down to Billy’s face – cupping it with his hand. He presses his tear-stained lips to Billy’s, closing his lips with his. It was tentative and soft. Warm pliant lips against cold trembling ones.

Stiff hands gripped onto the exposed fur on Jason’s back. He flinches. Startled, he pulled away from Billy’s face. It was just at the right moment to see Billy’s throat contract and swallow the elixir in one gulp. His Adam’s apple bobbed, as his eyes snapped open. Dark brown glossy eyes stared up at Jason, widening as more of Jason came into view. “Ja…son…?” Billy asked with a hoarse voice.

“Yes Billy, It’s me!” Jason roared, just noticing the deepness of his voice. He was fully Wolfed out. Billy had never seen him fully Wolfed out.

Fingers cup Jason’s face, caressing his blonde fur. Shivers ran through Jason. He was quivering. He had forgot he fully Wolfed out during the panic. Frightening Billy was his worst nightmare. He had tried his very best to hide every step of their blossoming relationship, and now his Wolfish form was on full display. A beast stood before Billy. He was slightly ashamed.

Billy’s fingers wondered from Jason’s cheek to his teeth, pressing the pads of his fingers to the tip of fangs. Jason stares at him worryingly, waiting for a response. “Cool,” Billy gasped, fondly admiring the beautiful Beast that stood before him.

A rumble built up in Jason’s chest, a chuckle burst out of him, breaking the tension of the situation. His chuckle was so low and deep. The vibrations of his laugh tickled Billy’s chest – He giggled. “God, it worked, you’re alive,” Jason said, as if it was a prayer of a gratitude to God, any of the gods. “I was so afraid I’d lose you…what happened?”

“I don’t know,” Billy looked in deep thought. “We were laying by the lake…then I heard sweet music…” He locked eyes with Jason. “And then we are here…you are holding me...and kissing me.”

Jason became rigid, he pulled away from Billy, and stood up straight. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know what to do, you were unconscious…I thought you would die, you weren’t swallowing the potion and it works in the stories…” His fur slowly started receding, revealing bright pink blushing skin and a more human form.

Billy’s skin was also warming up. He glanced down to his fingers, playing with them, doing anything to avoid making eye contact with Jason. The scent wafting off Billy now was potent and arousing. “We were kissing in my dream too…”

“We were?” He couldn’t hide how eager he was to hear this.

“Yes, kissing and...” Billy cleared his throat. “And other things…” The implications were becoming clearer. “I’ve thought about it before, but never like this, never with so much…detail.”

Ah. That must have been why he was overheating, Jason thought. While unconscious, Billy was working up quite the fever imagining them being intimate, in ways they had never been before. Jason smiled, closing the space between him and Billy. He paid close attention to the way Billy responded to him invading his personal space once again. After seeing his budding avidity, Jason dare to initiate even more intimacy by resting his hand on Billy’s lower back.

“I’ve thought about kissing you too,” Jason admitted, waiting until Billy regained the ability to look him in the eyes. “And the other things too…it was so all consuming that I was impossible to be around…”

The mysterious reason why Jason can’t go home to his pack flashed through Billy’s mind. He worried he was at fault. Being the obstacle that kept Jason alone was a fear he didn’t know he had. “Is that why you can’t-

“Billy can I kiss you?” Jason interrupted, refusing to let Billy inquisitive mind ruin the heated atmosphere they’d created. They had plunged into the deep, and he wasn’t ready yet to come up for air.

“Yes!” He answered eagerly, his chest rising and falling in rapid succession. “Yes please.”

With enthusiasm Jason pulled Billy to his chest, cupped his cheek and leaned in for a kiss. He didn’t move to connect their lips just yet. An inch from Billy’s lips, he breathed out, looking him in the eyes. He waited for Billy to make the final move – to meet him in the middle – to show him just how much he wanted him. He needed proof that their attraction was mutual.

He got what he asked for and more. Billy wrapped his arms around Jason’s neck and just launched himself at him. The collision of their lips was hard, and clumsy, but it was everything he dreamed off. Grabbing the back of Billy’s head, Jason started to navigate the kiss into a softer and deeper direction. He coaxed Billy’s lips open – guided his tongue with his – caressing every crevice he could reach. It was gentle and restrained, Jason was afraid of scaring Billy off with his hunger.

But he didn’t factor in Billy’s own hunger.

The kiss busted open the flood gates of love and lust with both of them.

One minute they were kissing in the kitchen, and the next they were blindly stumbling their way to the bedroom, attached at the mouth and the hips. Who knew the faithful meeting of a Witch that dared to enter the Forest, and the Wolf who witnessed his kind act would culminate in passionate love making? There was always hope, but love like this takes more than hope, it takes bravery and sacrifice.

**+++**

While Jason and Billy were preoccupied with each other at one end of the Forest, at the other end three Wolves were celebrating having poisoned a Witch – (with the help of nymphs) and now have concrete proof that Chief’s son is conspiring with Witches. Hawkeye stood by the River, clutching Billy’s red hood in his fingers. “Time to gather reinforcement boys!” He shouted, to his goons. The two other Wolves responded with howls. They were going to not only kill a Witch but depose the Chief’s son! Glory would be theirs.  
  


Meanwhile in the Angel Grove Township Witch Mother Candace had just returned home from an adventure searching for an ancient artifact that she was convinced would help Kimberly regain her sanity. If she couldn’t cure her, she could at least give her control over her urges. She couldn’t watch another extraordinary Witch die young and mad. The first thing she did upon coming home was search for her son. She went up to his room only to find Billy’s letter. She read it and seethed. she had no idea how long he could have been gone for. “Damn it Billy!” She cursed crushing up the letter in her hands. “There no telling what could have happened to him! He’s so goddamn stubborn!”

She wouldn’t have time to make a red hood in time to rescue Billy from whatever he’d gotten himself into, so she’d have to ask the Dragonborn for a favor. They would have safer passage into The Forest than she’d ever had. Hopefully Billy stayed in his grandmother’s cabin and did not venture to where he could be tracked by a Wolf.

As she climbed down into the cellar dungeon to send Tommy on a mission to rescue her hardheaded son, she heard a massive explosion that sends her flying back to the nearest wall. Her Beasts and lamia patients screeched and beat against the bars of their cages to get out, but it was reinforced with magic. There was fire coming out of her largest cell, threatening to spread to the rest of the dungeon.

Out of a stream of smoke came Trini coughing and wheezing, her face covered in ash and bruises. “The Lamia has escaped, she headed into the Forest!” she shouted, collapsing at Candace’s feet.  
  


"WHERE'S TOMMY?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter will be explicit so you drop off here if you're not interested.


	15. Still star-crossed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy and Jason mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sex. Fantastically sex descriptions with no real world practicality.

Billy and Jason stumbled through the cabin, navigating by way of Jason’s natural-instinct, Billy’s familiarity and clumsy accident. The cabin was bigger than it appeared outside but there weren’t enough unlocked bedrooms to make deciding where they would fall difficult. Jason spun Billy around, pressing him against the door his grandmother’s room, lips descending from Billy’s lips to his neck – hips grinding unto his. He moaned. This sudden escalation caused Billy to moan out and tremble in Jason’s arms – eager for more.

That was it! Jason’s systems revved up, like fresh coal being throw into an already raging furnace, harnessing it’s energy. His body was preparing to exert itself, to perform at its best and to show Billy just how much he had wanted him. He’d work to deserve him. He’d work to make sure Billy never regrets falling for a Wolf. He wouldn’t have time to regret sin and treason if he was constantly being driven mad with pleasure.

Freeing one of his hands, Jason turned the knob, opening the door to the bedroom. At the swing of the door and the reveal of the giant bed in the center of the room, Jason pulled away from tenderly sucking the base of Billy’s neck to take in the Elder Witches room. It was simple and clean. The only thing to catch Jason’s eye was the white billowing curtains letting cool breeze in and the same white curtain as a canopy over the bed. It was a serene sanctuary, the only place he could imagine that could safeguard their desire.

He walked over to the bed, leading Billy behind him. They sat side by side, smiling at each other. It wasn’t long before Billy started to fill the atmosphere with busy chatter. “I can’t believe I’m doing this so suddenly, with a Wolf of all people,” He glanced over to Jason, “I never really paid much to romance, I had crushes, but I just always though that it wasn’t for me, then I met you and just couldn’t stay away from you.”

“I felt the same…”

“Was it really the same for you?” Billy asked, thinking back to the days and nights of yearning for Jason. “Was it like there was a thread connecting us, an elastic thread, that would just pull us back together if we separated? Or is it weird to think like that? Because I did seek you out sometimes…I really like being with you.”

He smiled and leaned in for another kiss. As much as he loved all that Billy was saying, he didn’t need to state the obvious again, but he knew Billy would appreciate as much clarity as possible. “Billy, I am a Wolf committing treason by trespassing onto the property of our mortal enemy just so I can have the pleasure of making love to her grandson, a Witch. You know how I feel about you.”

Flustering under the weight of Jason’s declaration, Billy fell back onto the bed, sinking into the sheets. “Let’s do this!”

Jason chuckled, falling back so that he was right beside Billy. He rolled over onto his side and faced him. “Tell me what you want Billy, and I’ll give it to you.”

“I want your everything.”

Hearing that Jason shifted form, finding a middle ground between Wolf and Man, that was powerful but wouldn’t hurt Billy. He looked like a big beautiful hairy man, with strong arms, thick thighs and wide hands. He unlatched his armor and sword, dropping them on the floor. He was still not bare as Billy was. He didn’t give Billy time to properly react to the change before he was pouncing on him – covering his body with his own.

He dove in for a kiss, lingering for longer than before. But this time it was wilder and wet than the ones before. Billy had asked for everything he had to offer, and what he had to offer was Wolfish. He tenderly nibbled and sucked on his tongue – only stopping to do the same to his bottom lip. That elicited soft moans and desperate scratching at and gripping of the fur on Jason’s back. Fingers in search of stability during the turbulence.

“Ah…ah…” Billy’s breathing became broken and when Jason’s mouth was on his neck, and his hands hiked Billy’s legs over his back. Giving Billy a hickey seemed to be his primary goal, but Billy having dark skin made that very difficult. So, he worked overtime, nibbling hard on the soft skin then licking and sucking it to sooth it. Hot, hot, hot, then cool, cool, cool.

The sounds coming out of his own mouth embarrassed him, they were either too high-pitched or too guttural. He tried to control himself, by biting his lip and raking his nails across Jason’s back to get quiet relief. It worked, until Jason connected their hips perfectly, grinding his hardness into Billy’s. Being a master of toeing the line of overstimulation, Jason synced a hard bite with rough rut, putting pressure on every end of Billy.

A low desperate whine slipped from Billy’s lips. Jason grabbed Billy’s hips, doubled down on the rutting, repeatedly grinding down onto him. Lifting his hips, Billy pressed into the contact, begging for it. The last pieces of clothing were becoming too restrictive.

“Jason…” Billy breathed out, awkwardly trying to pull down his own pants.

“Easy there…I got you,” He said, pinning Billy’s hands above his.

“Jason should I be doing something?” Billy asked, furrowing his brow. “I think I should be doing something…to help?”

Jason chuckled, placing a kiss on Billy’s chest. “You’re doing plenty.”

“Jason!”

“Fine...” He conceded, pointing to the headboard. “Hold on tight.”

“That’s all?” Billy whined, he may not have experience, but he was eager and determined, and that always seemed to work in his studies.

“I’d like some direction,” He said, running his hands over Billy’s sides. Rising his hands like that made his muscles bulge. “How about you tell me what to do, I’d really like that.”

“Me ordering you around?” There was a cheeky glint in Billy’s eyes. He would enjoy that. Having Jason submit to him like that felt hot. Ooh he learnt something new about himself that day.

Jason nodded his head, waiting for instructions.

“Kiss me,” Billy said.

“Where?” Jason widened his options.

“All over,” Billy smiled confidently, waiting for him to do as he ordered.

As ordered, Jason placed a small peck on Billy’s forehead – on his nose – on his lips – on his chin – on his neck – then on his chest. The light traveling kisses made Billy giggle, as Jason’s cool breath tickled his sensitive skin. But the lower the kisses got, the more sensuous they became.

When he got to Billy’s chest, Jason dragged his thumb down Billy’s chest, watching goosebumps rise around his nipples. Billy’s eyes connected with Jason’s as his nimble tongue slithered out of his mouth and swirled around the little nub. He closed his teeth around it, nibbling on it. He saw Billy bite his lips and throw back his head when he started to suck it.

Billy hissed, and arched into it. Jason delighted in doing the same to the other nipple, until they were both tender and sore. It was like he was trying to over every inch of Billy in his bites and salvia. It could have been a Wolf thing, he longed to collect every drop of Billy’s sweat on his tongue. He tasted sweet, who knew?

As Jason trailed his tongue down his stomach, Billy writhed under his tenderness. Giggle erupted from Billy when Jason’s tongue dipped into his belly button. He loved knowing Billy was having fun, that even after this is done, they will be friends who just happen to care deeply for each other.

Giggling turned into sharp breathing when his tongue traced the V shaped line in Billy’s abs. The muscles in Billy’s stomach tightened and relaxed involuntarily. His tongue followed the light hair trail to the waist of Billy’s cotton trousers. Jackpot.

He held Billy’s gaze as he slowly tugs his trousers down his lightly furred brown thighs, revealing his engorged dick. Jason didn’t waste any time burying himself in Billy’s hair – inhaling deeply and then engulfing his thick cock. The motion was fluid and eager.

Billy let go of the headboard and gripped the sheets – his thighs quivering. To have Jason’s hot wet mouth slowly sliding up and down his shaft was spectacular. His eyes threatened to roll into the back of his head when Jason sucked on his sensitive head and cupped his sac. He was so good – so good at multitasking. As he’s taking Billy deeper into his mouth, his hands were caressing his balls – rubbing his finger down Billy’s taint – edging to his ass.

Billy moaned, and bucked into Jason’s mouth. Jason could handle the thrusting – he longed for it. He moaned around Billy’s cock when his fingers slid into his silky hair, gripped him hard and forced him farther down on his cock. He didn’t know he was doing it. He was just doing what came naturally. And that fact made Jason’s mouth water. He bobbed his head even faster.

Strings of drool slip from corner of Jason’s lips and he enthusiastically choked on Billy’s dick, as he fondled his ass. Wolfish saliva was viscous, warm and had phenomenal properties. Billy had witness it smooth and heal him before, but he wasn’t familiar with how the Wolf used it during mating. He soon realized when Jason slicked his fingers with it and began thumbing at Billy’s entrance.

Moving was difficult with Billy’s fingers locked in his hair, but he had to. Jason pulled off Billy’s cock with a wet plop, and took his balls into his mouth, sucking tenderly as he could. Billy didn’t have time to whine about his neglected cock, he had two thick long fingers prodding his ass.

Billy thoughts were erratic, and hazy. How could he think of anything else? Oh, the feeling of Jason sucking on the skin of his sac, and him slowly fingering him made Billy’s mind blank. The Wolfish saliva made penetration feel easy, and by the way Billy whined and bit his lips bruised – it made him sensitive, there.

“God, Jason…” Billy groaned, forcing his himself down on Jason’s hand and face. “Stop teasing Jason…I want it. I want it now…”

It wasn’t specific but Jason knew. He gave Billy what he wanted, speeding up the process. He began piston his two fingers, faster and faster, angling his fingers in ways that made Billy’s walls clench and his cock leak precum. It was torturous to watch all this happening and not be able to get himself off. Rutting on the end of the bed was hardly enough. He needed it to work faster.

Jason pulled out his fingers and replaced it with his tongue, plunging into Billy’s tight ass. He wanted to coat the side of Billy as deeply and thoroughly as he could. He was his mate and his mate deserved to howl in pleasure, not pain or even mild discomfort. Rimming was common practice for Wolves, but Jason took another kind of perverse pleasure in eating Billy out. Doing this meant his destiny of eating a Witch got fulfilled.

“Jason!” Billy whined.

He slips his tongue out of Billy. “I know Billy.”

“I’m going to…”

“You won’t,” Jason warned, showing his fangs. He stopped what he was doing, climbed off the bed and dragged his own pants off him. He couldn’t get naked faster. “You’ll get what you asked for…”

“Whoa…” Billy’s eyes widened when he saw just what was hanging between Jason’s hairy legs. It must be one of the many perks of being a Wolf. All of him was impressive. Bigger, Thicker, longer and hairy than the average man,

Seeing Billy’s reaction to his endowment, he took himself in hand and stroke himself right in front of him. He stroked his cock, in long slow motions. He was putting on a show. “All for you.”

Billy’s breathe got caught his throat. He had to reach out and squeeze the base of his cock just to keep from coming there and then. He was going to die of anticipation, and horniness at this rate. Every cell in his body rejoiced when he felt the bed dip under Jason’s weight. His eyes snapped open (he didn’t even know they were closed) – only to see this big beautiful beast of a man towering over him. Bless.

Kneeling in front of Billy, Jason slid between Billy’s legs, hiking them behind his back. His eyes met Billy’s as he rubbed the head of his cock against Billy’s hole, watching as it clenches and puckers, begging for him. Jason pulled Billy’s hand off his cock, replacing it with his own. “I said hands on the headboard, remember?”

Billy whimpered and nodded, hands gripping the small columns for support. He had an idea that he would need to – that Jason was being practical, not just kinky. He gripped Billy’s hips with one hand and clutched his dick in the other. He maintained eye contact as he slowly pushed the head of his fat cock, into Billy’s twitching wet hole. It was an elegant and smooth series of motions.

His chest, rose and fell with anticipation. Mouth agape; he released the softest groans as he was being entered. Being stretched like this was a whole other feeling. This indescribable satisfaction of expanding his pleasure horizons – exploring the forbidden. It made him desperate to be filled, desperate to be closer with Jason – to have him on him, in him and all around him.

“You want more?” Jason asked, waiting for approval.

“You have more?” Billy asked, voice a mixture of excited and anxious. “How…much more?”

Chuckling, Jason bit his lips. “Just enough.”

He kept at it, slowly slipping into Billy, until he was panting. There Billy lay, covered in glistening sweat, chest heaving and hips undulating as he took all of Jason – his body seemed to beg for more. Neither of them could have predicted Billy would raise to the occasion like that. It was like watching a lit match become a raging wildfire in front of your eyes, under your fingertips.

When Jason bottomed out, he didn’t waste another second, he’d already used up all his patience. As soon as his balls connecting with Billy’s round ass, he pulled a little and thrusted back in, hard. A surprised grunt burst of out Billy. It was like electricity had surged through him, making him tingle all over. He bit his lips and rolled his hips down onto Jason’s cock. He may have been taken off guard, but he’d be ready for this.

“You’re so gorgeous,” Jason gaze down at Billy. Billy’s leonine eyes were half lidded and he wore a slack lopsided smile. He was glowing, metaphorically and maybe literally, since strong emotions have been known to trigger his powers.

Seeing Billy was out of it, he sped up. He started thrusting, steady and measured. He loved watching his cock push in and out of Billy – and hearing every whimper and moan coming out of him. They were so real. Every sound that left his mouth was an honest guttural plea for more. Slutty.

“Fuck,” Jason cursed. It was his turn to lose control. He was teetering on the edge.

He lifted Billy’s hips, and plowed him Billy. He was relentless. He hunches over Billy, holding his hips in the air as he pounded into him. The bed shook under the weight and pressure of his thrusts. This was why he made Billy hold onto the headboard, he wouldn’t fall off the bed while Jason drilled him through the mattress.

“Ah…um…!” Billy groaned, his legs and abs quivering as Jason fucked the life out of him. He was seeing stars behind his eyes, and only heard Jason’s rapidly beating heart.

In a distressing turn of events (for Billy) Jason pulled out of Billy roughly, dropped him on bed, and flipped him over in the space of the time it took Billy to react to him pulling out. In short he manhandled him, like a weightless sack.

“Jason what are….” Billy was disorientated, horny and confused. All he wanted to do now was come. He didn’t care how.

The only answer he got was Jason grabbing his hips and mounting him. He was able to piece together what was happening. The Wolf in Jason had a preference, for Billy on all fours with his ass in the air and his face buried in a pillow. Billy would admit he liked it too. He didn’t know why, but when Jason reentered him, everything clicked. It was like everything before had been amplified.

The hand that wrapped around Billy’s cock was bigger and more calloused than he’d felt on him before. Mid fucking him, Jason had shifted again. The thought of that alone made Billy’s cock throbbed. If Jason hadn’t started jerking him off – he would have started doing it himself.

But he didn’t need to do a thing. It was like Jason was reading his mind. He did everything Billy might possibly want. As he fucked Billy like his life depend on it, he took time to bury his face in Billy’s neck – kissing, sucking and nibbling his skin. Only he knew how to find the perfect balance between rough and sweet.

The heat built up in the pit of Billy’s stomach and the muscles in his stomach tightened. He’s about to come and there was nothing Jason could do to stop that – short of magic. Sensing Billy was about to come Jason sped up his hand and synced it with deep thrusts. So deep Billy felt the reverberation in his spine.

Soft moans turned into desperate cries, “Oh god…Jason…oh fuc…Jason!” As Billy cried out, Jason growled, sinking his large fangs into scruff of Billy’s neck until it bled. The bite set Billy off, like a light switch being flicked on. He cried out and spilled over Jason’s hands. “Jason!”

As he came, and kept coming Jason licked the bite and milked his cock until it was too sensitive to touch. Billy’s knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the bed in an exhausted heap. As Jason pulled out of him, Billy tenses and groans – panting like a he’d just completed a marathon.

He didn’t have any energy to move. He felt simultaneously invincible and wrecked. The peck of soft lips on his neck and back are the only thing that are keeping Billy of this realm, and not spiritually ascended. He’s out of it.

“Billy…Billy…,” Jason whispered into his neck. The whispering became a chant as he hovered over Billy’s ass, stroking himself – fucking into his own fist as he admired how fucking wrecked Billy looked. His gorgeous brown skin glimmer with sweat. His hips were red with the imprint of Jason’s hands. Oh, and there was still in the indent of Jason’s fangs in his neck. He did that.

That thought, couple with the furious way he stroked his cock sent Jason over the edge. It was like lightning coursed through him. He came, with a loud howl that shook the cabin. A stream of vicious white cum coated Billy’s back, ass and thighs. Billy wiggled his ass and squirmed at the new sensation but was too half strung out to care.

With a sigh, Jason laid on top of Billy, holding up his weight on his elbow. He resumed kissing and licking his neck – whispering sweet words into his skin. ‘Billy…Billy….” He murmured.

He just mated with a Witch. A beautiful Witch. His beautiful Witch. He was the luckiest Wolf in the Forest.

Jason rolled over to his side so he could come face to face with Billy. Feeling his soft panting against his face, Billy opened his eyes and smiled. Big blue yearning eyes met his, they held all the affection in the world for him.

“Hi Jason,” He said, grinning.

Jason chuckled, “Hi Billy.”

“I want to cuddle with you, but my body feels like jelly.”

“I’ve heard I have that effect on people.”

Like the gentleman that he is, Jason pulls Billy towards him, so he could rest his head on Jason chest. He even pulled the covers over them. Anything to make Billy feel comfortable. It’s the very least what his mate deserves.

Its mind-blowing that he has been thinking about Billy in the terms of a serious mate for the last few minutes. He has never thought like that. He had assumed he’d be a confirmed bachelor for the rest of his life. But all that changed when he met Billy.

“Are you okay? I’ve never had sex with anyone who wasn’t a Wolf, did I hurt you?” Jason asked, inspecting the bite mark he left on Billy’s neck. His saliva had healed some of it already.

“We Witches are very sturdier than we look,” Billy argued.

“Yes, you are,” Jason laughed, holding Billy closer.

“What do we do now? Are there any post sex rituals I should know about?”

“Well there is grooming.”

“Which mean?” Billy’s eyebrow rose. He hoped it meant a shower and fresh clothing.

Jason smiled a toothy grin. “Licking each other clean.”

He cleared his throat. “That doesn’t sound so bad…”

His open-mindedness surprised Jason. “It’s a thing mates do for each other,” He explained, preparing to make himself vulnerable – opening himself up for rejection. “Serious mates. Those that want to spend the rest of their lives together. Almost always for life.”

He waited for Billy’s response. He couldn’t help holding his breath, terrified of a negative response. Billy didn’t say anything. After a short moment he leaned over to Jason and licked his cheek. He licked his cheek!

That was a big fat yes! Jason’s stomach started doing flips. Eyes glossed over with tears, He cupped Billy’s face and moved in for a kiss. “Billy, I love –

A loud whack was heard outside, followed by several heavy footsteps. On impulse, Jason jumped up in the bed, standing in front of Billy, guarding his mate. His ears peeked, and he sniffed the air. It was the overwhelming musk of a troop of Wolves, invading his den. They were sullying his love den with their putrid stink of aggression, and hatred.

Bare naked, he was on his feet and wielding his sword in the next few seconds.

“Jason what’s happening!” Billy screamed, scrambling to his feet.

“Billy when I say run, you get to the window and don’t look back!” Jason ordered, shifting into a full Wolf right in front of Billy’s eyes.

“Jason!”

“Don’t argue with me!” Jason shouted; he didn’t look back at Billy because his eyes were filled with tears. “I can’t lose you!”

The sternness in his voice woke Billy up, making him realize the gravity of the situation. They were in danger. Jason was seriously worried for his safety, enough that he was going to stay behind to give Billy time to get out of there.

As Jason scanned the room for an escape or for makeshift weapons, the door to their bedroom was kicked open. In the doorway stood Chief Wolf Scott in all his glory and three Wolves – Hawkeye, Ty and Damo; All Jason’s rivals. The entrance of four Wolves sent a chill down Billy’s spine, he ran up to Jason and hid behind his back.

“Jason what are you doing?” His father asked, staring at Jason in aggressive disbelief. “WITH OUR ENEMY!” His voice boomed when he saw the Billy and smelt Jason’s musk all over him.

Jason tightened his grip on his sword, and Billy tightened his grip on Jason. They were going to die. But if they died, they were going to die together, and they were going to go down swinging.

Off in the forest a wild lamia Witch attacked a half Orc returning from his travels. It seemed desperate to get at the onyx stone he had won in a duel in Stone Canyon. It was a good thing that Zack was itching for a fight. The Dragonborne that was tracking the Lamia stayed hidden in the bushes, deciding whether they should help the Orc or Kimberly.

_ **To be continued.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There won't be a continuation but I may write one shots on this universe.

**Author's Note:**

> I was given this idea by a reader. I wrote half of this story - immigrated and got accepted to University so I put it off for four mouths. This story is already written and I will complete editing it (and the last chapter) before the year is done. After exams hopefully.


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